


Kyanos: The Phoenix

by pcyikes



Series: Kyanos [1]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Magic, M/M, Minor Character Death, Minor Original Character(s), Multi, Original Universe, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Prince Jung Yoonoh | Jaehyun, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-07
Updated: 2019-10-04
Packaged: 2019-10-06 05:51:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 84,915
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17339744
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pcyikes/pseuds/pcyikes
Summary: In the kingdom of Reinea, magic is forbidden. Twenty years ago, the King imprisoned those who had any magic abilities, forcing the few who escaped to go into hiding. Prince Jaehyun struggles with his father’s harsh ruling but keeps his head down as an inevitable war looms ahead.That is, until he meets Yuta; a strange tailor who holds dangerous secrets. Suddenly, Jaehyun is thrown into a world of rebellion and magic as he uncovers more about himself, his family, and the people around him.





	1. 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello all! I have just a few things before we start!
> 
> 1\. Please note that I love all the real people that I mention in this, and that how some are portrayed do not reflect them in real life at all. Some characters may say or do things that aren’t the nicest but just know that I love them all a lot and have nothing against them. However, there are a few minor original characters.  
> 2\. While there’s not loads of it, blood, violence, and mentions of violence occur throughout this story. Please keep this in mind if those themes make you uncomfortable, I’ll try to warn before each chapter. (On that note, there is mention of blood and a minor wound within the first scene.)  
> 3\. This is a complete work of fiction. The story and universe are of my own creation so please don’t post this anywhere else. The non-fictional people named in this story are not affiliated with this story at all.
> 
> Enjoy!

When Jaehyun came to his senses, he was already running. 

Shouts rang out from behind him as he pushed his way through the crowds of people that occupied the outdoor market. The last thing Jaehyun remembered, he had been silently studying a beautiful blue scarf for sale, cloak wrapped securely around his body and hood hanging low over his eyes when suddenly, an arrow had lodged itself in the cloth sitting just centimeters from his hand.

As Jaehyun ran, he kept his head down, letting his hood shield most of his face. Shouldering past a young couple, he turned left, down a less crowded street and cursed under his breath. At the end stood two hooded figures, both holding swords. Another shout sounded behind him and he whipped around to see an additional two people running after him; one held a bow. 

Frantically, Jaehyun looked around, searching for an escape route, and was rewarded with an alley just to his right. People started to notice the commotion, turning their wide eyes toward Jaehyun who made sure to shield his face as much as he could. Even though no commoner knew what the Second Prince looked like, he couldn’t risk it. 

Jaehyun sprinted full speed toward the two men at the end of the street who had started to stalk toward him. As he ran, he noticed that the one on the right seemed to have a belt full of knives; presumably to throw. He was beginning to think that he really should’ve brought Johnny with him.

As he neared his escape route, he extended his right arm and grabbed onto the nearby street lamp, using it to swing his body sharply around and into the alley. Not slowing down his sprint at all, he continued down the deserted alley. It was completely deserted and fairly slim, with doors that seemed to lead into people’s homes. 

Jaehyun knew that there was a maze of small alleys on this side of town; something he had discovered a couple years ago when he had snuck out of the palace for the first time. If he could just use them to his advantage, maybe he could lose these men.

A sharp pain suddenly engulfed his left bicep and Jaehyun watched as a knife flew past him and down the alley before looking briefly at his arm; the knife had cut him. Blood began to slowly trickle out of the wound and down his arm, staining his blouse. Jaehyun hissed and turned down another alley; his breaths getting shorter and his strides slower.

He glanced over his shoulder to see two of the men running after him, the knife thrower already reaching toward his belt again. Jaehyun huffed and took a sharp left, into another alley. At this rate, he was more likely to run out of stamina than he was to lose them.

Suddenly, a hand gripped his hurt bicep and pulled hard, throwing Jaehyun off balance and causing his body weight to fall into whoever had yanked him.

“Follow me.”

The person had pulled him into an even smaller alley that he himself hadn’t noticed. Ignoring the pain that sprouted from the rough hold on his new wound, Jaehyun followed after whoever was hopefully helping him. The stranger pulled him again by the arm into an open doorway and pushed him against the stone wall, shoving his hand over Jaehyun’s mouth as the door slammed shut. 

Jaehyun stared widely at the man who had pinned him against the wall, heart beating erratically in his chest. His body was tense, the coldness of the wall behind him seeped through his clothing. The faint taste of leather stained his lips from the gloves that the man was wearing. The stranger was breathing just as heavily as Jaehyun was, eyes wide on his face as they listened to the shouts of the men outside. 

“Down there!” One of them yelled to the others from just outside the door. 

The footsteps of the men running past the doorway caused Jaehyun to relax a little bit; his ears stayed alert as he listened to his pursuers run further away from where he was hiding. Jaehyun focused once more on the man pressed against him. His eyes darted around the stranger’s face, taking in his sharp features and the long black hair that framed his cheekbones. Their eyes met and Jaehyun would’ve gasped if not for the hand still covering his mouth. The stranger’s eyes bore into his own; a deep brown with specks of gold and orange that reminded him of a flickering fire. Jaehyun felt himself lightly blush, of course he had to be attractive, just his luck. The stranger seemed to realize that the men were gone and he slowly removed his hand from Jaehyun’s mouth, taking a small step back. 

“Thanks.” Jaehyun whispered, chest still heaving from running for so long. The man inclined his head and then quickly glanced at his own hand. Following his gaze, Jaehyun saw his own blood staining the stranger’s palm from where he had grabbed him.

“You’re hurt.” The stranger stated in a scratchy voice.

Jaehyun nodded slightly and looked down at his bicep, taking in the red stain on his once purely white blouse. He moved his cloak to cover his arm when the stranger spoke again. “This way.”

With that, the stranger turned and went down the hallway they were standing in. Jaehyun finally looked at his surroundings and noted that he seemed to be in some kind of shop. The doorway they had been standing in was a short hallway that led into a more spacious area. Jaehyun stepped into the shop, taking in the colorful fabrics hanging on the walls and draped all over the floor. There was a long table in the center of the room where half-made clothes were stacked. 

A small cough brought Jaehyun’s attention back to the stranger. “Coming?” Jaehyun startled slightly at his words, eyes widening. “Or are you just going to gape at my shop?”

“Your shop?”

Laughter filled the room, booming across the space between them. “Of course it’s my shop,” The stranger tilted his head slightly, a small smile graced his pink lips. “You think I just barged in?”

Jaehyun blushed and ducked his head down. He hadn’t known what to think. One minute he was being chased by four assassins and the next, he was conversing with a strange yet handsome man who had saved his life. He was starting to think he shouldn’t have left the palace at all.

“Come on,” The stranger said in a softer tone as he gestured for Jaehyun to follow him. “Let’s get that cleaned up.”

Jaehyun hesitated for a moment, wary of following someone he had just met, especially after just escaping assassins. He studied the stranger whose face seemed honest and open; besides, the other had just saved his life. Jaehyun shrugged to himself and let the man lead him to the back of the shop and through another door. 

As he stepped across the threshold, he immediately noticed a small bed in the corner and papers that were strewn across the floor. The room was small, at least four times smaller than his own bedroom, yet it felt lived in. There was a desk against the far wall and on it sat more stacks of paper and some fabrics. Jaehyun’s eyes followed the stranger as he approached a small bucket of water resting next to the bed.

“You can sit.” The stranger said, patting the bed softly. 

Jaehyun obeyed silently and watched as the man wet a piece of cloth in the bucket. 

“What’s your name?” He blurted out loudly before he could stop himself.

The stranger laughed again as he wrung out the cloth. “Yuta,” He gestured for Jaehyun to remove his cloak. “And yours?”

Jaehyun hesitated, eyes wavering on Yuta’s form. He couldn’t say his real name; even though Yuta didn’t recognize his face, he would surely recognize his name.

“Jae.” He said finally and he could tell Yuta didn’t quite believe him but he sighed in relief when the other didn’t comment on it.

He knew it was fairly close to his real name but it was what Sicheng, and occasionally Johnny, called him. Jaehyun sighed; Johnny was probably looking for him right now. Guilt began to fill him as he thought of his guard worriedly searching the castle. 

“I’m gonna have to cut off your sleeve.” 

Jaehyun looked down at his arm, he had forgotten why he was there for a second. Yuta shifted forward, a knife gripped in his hand as he moved to remove Jaehyun’s sleeve. Jaehyun flinched slightly before allowing the other to cut through the fabric. Only a faint ticking noise from the clock on the wall and the sound of ripping fabric filled the silence. Once the sleeve was removed, Yuta lightly touched the damp cloth to the cut; the coolness of the water soothed Jaehyun’s pain. The wound wasn’t big; in fact, it didn’t even need much cleaning, but he wasn’t about to say no to Yuta’s help.

Yuta softly wiped away at the blood surrounding the cut, moving his other hand to rest lightly on Jaehyun’s forearm. As soon as the other’s hand touched Jaehyun’s bare skin, he was filled with warmth. The coldness of the weather outside and the water on his arm faded away, his body seemingly warmed by Yuta’s touch. 

“What’d you do?”

Jaehyun startled at Yuta’s words, the warmth that had began to fill him abruptly faded away. His mind raced for a reply that wasn’t something about him being the prince. Now that he thought about it, how had those men known who he was? Only those who had entered the palace truly knew what Jaehyun looked like. The royal family never went out. 

“I don’t know.” Jaehyun finally said softly, hands twisting together. He knew that he hadn’t actually done anything besides being the son of a king who was feared and hated throughout his own kingdom. 

Again, Yuta didn’t seem to believe him; his eyebrows scrunched together and he looked as if he was about to speak up again. 

Quickly, Jaehyun cleared his throat and looked to change the subject. “What do you do here?”

Yuta raised one eyebrow, an amused smile taking over his lips. “‘I’m a tailor,” He stood up and walked toward the desk, rummaging around in it for something. “It’s a family business.”

Jaehyun nodded as Yuta approached him again, a piece of bandage clutched in his hand. He wondered why a tailor would need to have bandaging in his room. 

“Where’s the rest of your family then?”

Yuta squatted back down in front of where Jaehyun sat on the bed. “Went to visit some relatives,” The ticking of the clock filled the small pause he took. “Someone had to stay behind.”

Jaehyun sensed that Yuta didn’t want to keep talking about his family; maybe he was upset that he couldn’t go with them. Carefully, Yuta began to wrap the bandage around Jaehyun’s bicep. His eyebrows were drawn together in concentration as he focused on the task. With every light touch of his fingers, Jaehyun shivered. 

“So,” Jaehyun started, voice shaking slightly. “Why’d you help me?”

Yuta paused, gaze flitting up to meet Jaehyun’s. His eyes were unreadable and Jaehyun found himself leaning forward as he studied them. He was increasingly finding himself fascinated with the other’s eyes; they were layered with intensity, mischievousness and, at a closer look, a hint of sorrow. Yuta looked back down to Jaehyun’s wound, coughing lightly. “Why wouldn’t I?”

“You don’t know me.”

Yuta chuckled and continued to bind Jaehyun’s wound. “So I should’ve let them kill you?”

Jaehyun flinched at the word “kill”, it still hadn’t quite hit him that someone had tried to assassinate him. Someone who knew he was Jaehyun, Second Prince of Reinea: someone who had seen his face before. 

“There,” Yuta said, patting Jaehyun’s shoulder lightly before moving away and back toward his desk. “All done.”

Startled out of his thoughts, Jaehyun looked down at his newly bandaged arm. “Thank you,” Yuta looked over his shoulder and smiled at him. “Really.”

Without the other’s help, Jaehyun didn’t know what he would’ve done. He felt stupid for going out of the palace unarmed and alone in the first place. Yuta turned back toward him, smile still present before suddenly tensing up. “The knife that hit you, where is it?”

Jaehyun tilted his head in confusion. “I assume in that alley, I wasn’t really paying attention to it.”

Yuta cursed under his breath. “Why?” Jaehyun continued, confusion growing.

“Tracking,” Yuta said quickly, looking wildly at Jaehyun’s bandaged arm. “They could use a tracking spell to find you.”

Jaehyun tensed, Yuta was talking about magic. Twenty years ago, the King, Jaehyun’s father, had waged a war against magic. He had tracked down all those of magic blood and imprisoned them. Since then, magic was illegal in the kingdom of Reinea. In the palace, no one talked about spells or magic, it was dangerous and forbidden. 

“Magic is illegal in Reinea.” Jaehyun said automatically, furrowing his brows when Yuta laughed bitterly.

“Just because it’s illegal doesn’t mean some people still don’t do it here.”

Fear seized Jaehyun; he wasn’t stupid, he knew that his father hadn’t gotten rid of every magic wielder. Still, he thought they all would’ve fled to a kingdom that did allow magic, not stayed in Reinea where they were in constant danger of being caught. If what Yuta said was true, Jaehyun really had to leave. If the assassins had any sort of magic ability, they could use his blood that stained the knife to cast a tracking spell and figure out where he was hiding.

“Come on,” Yuta said in a strained voice, gesturing for Jaehyun to get up. “You need to leave.”

Jaehyun followed Yuta out and back to the small hallway, watching the other’s purposeful strides. His eyes stayed glued on Yuta’s back, words stuck in his throat. He didn’t necessarily want to leave, but he knew it was too dangerous to stay.

Yuta stopped at the door, carefully opening it and looking out. “It’s clear,” He pulled back into the hallway and looked at Jaehyun, his body was still tense with fear. “Go on.”

The door was slightly open and the noise of the street filled the hallway. Jaehyun glanced at it and then back at Yuta. “Thank you again.” He said sincerely.

Yuta laughed, a strained but genuine laugh. “You’ve mentioned,” He motioned toward the door. “Go.”

Jaehyun exited the shop and stepped out into the alley, eyes alert for any of the assassins. He glanced over his shoulder to the man who had saved him; he wanted to say something else but he didn’t know what. Yuta was in the doorway, one hand resting on the door and the other in his pocket, smile still on his face. Jaehyun smiled back, he could feel his dimples appearing on his face, before turning and running down the alley, leaving Yuta standing at his door.

 

\---

 

“Your Highness.”

Jaehyun spun around in surprise, dropping the heavy stone he was holding; it seemed as if his attempt to sneak back into the palace unseen was ruined. There, standing in front of him, was Johnny, the head of his guard.

The other looked absolutely pissed as he stared down at Jaehyun, arms crossed and foot tapping erratically on the ground. He was in his full body armor, the crest of the royal family engraved on his breastplate and his heavy sword strapped to his side. Jaehyun thought he looked like an impatient mother who was about to scold her troublesome son. The son, in this scenario, being him.

“Look,” Jaehyun began, shifting his body to hide the small hole in the wall he used to get in and out of the palace walls. “I can explain.”

Johnny sighed and moved to pick up the stone Jaehyun had dropped. He made it look so easy, and Jaehyun supposed it was to him, with all of the workouts he did with the rest of the guard. Frankly, Jaehyun was rather jealous; no matter how much he trained with the other, he could never match Johnny’s strength. 

“I told you,” Johnny said as he moved the stone to cover the hole, dusting his hands when he was finished. “You’re supposed to take me with you.”

Immediately Jaehyun hung his head. “But you never relax,” He whined, staring down at his dirty boots. “You’re always so stiff and intense looking. You scare everyone off!”

“That’s the point,” Jaehyun heard Johnny sigh and move closer to him. “What if something went wrong and you got hurt while I wasn’t there?”

Jaehyun immediately wrapped his cloak tighter around himself, very much aware of the fact that something had gone wrong and that he had gotten hurt. There was no way he would ever tell Johnny though, he would never let Jaehyun out of his sight again.

A bell tolled in the distance and Johnny straightened up. “Let’s go, Your Highness.” He looked sternly at Jaehyun. “Don’t ever do that again.”

Jaehyun nodded guiltily and followed his guard silently, he’s lucky Johnny didn’t threaten to tell his father. It’s definitely something he had said he would do in the past.

As they made their way toward Jaehyun’s chambers, they passed the throne room. Its doors were shut tight, guards stationed just outside. Even so, Jaehyun could hear his father yelling about something, voice loud and brash. He sighed, his father was always quick to anger, Jaehyun was just glad that he didn’t have to spend so much time near him. He hoped his older brother was in there so that he could calm the King down; while Jaehyun had always seemed to make it worse, the Crown Prince had a way with words when it came to their father. It used to bother Jaehyun but he had soon gotten used to it; after all, he had been closer to his mother.

Johnny dropped Jaehyun off at the door that led to his chambers with one more stern look. “Don’t do anything stupid.” The other smiled slightly, the first positive expression he had made since he had found Jaehyun sneaking in. “I know that may be hard for you.”

“Hey!”

Chuckling to himself, Johnny left Jaehyun pouting in the hallway. A snicker caught Jaehyun’s attention and he turned to see Yukhei, one of his personal guards, holding back a laugh.

“Oh shut it.” Jaehyun grumbled as he pushed his way into his chambers.

In the privacy of his bedroom, Jaehyun immediately shrugged his cloak and ruined shirt off, walking over to a mirror to inspect his bandaged wound. His thoughts wandered back to Yuta and how the other had helped him without a second thought. Jaehyun thought he was a strange man, with his bandages and teasing smiles. His fingers briefly touched the bandaging as he admired Yuta’s work, it seemed as if the other was fairly practiced at dressing wounds, an odd talent for a tailor to possess. Although, Jaehyun thought as he stood in front of the mirror in only his trousers, he didn’t know much about what it took to be a tailor, maybe bandaging an arm wasn’t so different from making a blouse. 

He sighed and let his gaze travel up to his face, his own brown eyes stared back at him. His usually slicked back hair hung loosely over his forehead and his cheeks were still slightly flushed. His uncharacteristically disheveled appearance highlighted just how his day had gone. 

“Sir.”

Jaehyun turned quickly to see Yukhei standing in the doorway. Immediately, Yukhei's eyes landed on his bandaged bicep.

“A scrape from sparring practice.” Jaehyun lied quickly as he shrugged on another blouse.

Yukhei nodded, seeming to accept the excuse. “I knocked but you didn’t seem to hear me.” His guard stepped further into his room, expression blank. “The Crown Prince wishes to see you.”

Jaehyun sighed and turned back to the mirror. A glint on his right hand caught his attention and his gaze landed on his ring. His mother had gifted it to him years ago, only days before she had died; while he had been kneeling at her bedside, cheeks stained with tears. The ring was silver and had a blue stone, the color of deep blue water. It was the thing he cherished the most; the final gift from his mother.

“Sir?”

Jaehyun tore his gaze away from his ring. “Alright, thank you.” He watched as Yukhei left and then quickly changed, trying his best to look presentable. 

 

\---

 

As soon as he stepped into his brother’s chambers, Jaehyun was filled with coldness. The guard that let him in announced his entrance before shutting the door soundly behind him. Jaehyun looked around the room, it was spacious and bare looking, with two spotless green couches and several armchairs. The layout was almost identical to Jaehyun’s chambers, but he was so messy that his brother’s looked completely different. In the middle of the room was a table with a map on its surface, on the wall was a large portrait of their father. Jaehyun stared at the portrait, taking in the King’s handsome features and cold gaze; it was something his brother and father had in common.

“Prince Jaehyun.”

Jaehyun turned as the Crown Prince entered from a side door. He and his brother looked fairly similar in appearance, they had the same brown hair and eyes, the same dimples and height. But that was where the similarities ended. While Jaehyun was known throughout the palace for his smile, he couldn’t remember the last time his brother had looked truly happy. Jaehyun was easily flustered and blushed every other second while his brother made sure to never show his emotions. Their personalities were complete opposites.

Jaehyun bowed to his brother, eyes focused on the ground. “Crown Prince,” He straightened up and watched his brother sit down at one of the armchairs. “You wanted to see me.”

The other nodded, eyes resting on Jaehyun. “I did, I wanted to discuss some details concerning my wedding.”

Ah yes, Jaehyun thought, the wedding. His brother was getting married in two weeks time to a princess from one of the smaller surrounding kingdoms. 

“Guests will start arriving soon,” The Crown Prince began, leaning forward in his seat. “Since father and I will be busy, I ask you to please entertain my fiancée’s family.”

Jaehyun resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He always got stuck with those jobs; the things his family deemed themselves too important to do. He could already hear the nagging voices of these other royals following him around. Jaehyun could be charming, yes, but he preferred to not be surrounded by so many people he didn’t know.

“Of course Crown Prince,” Jaehyun responded, inclining his head. “Anything else?”

He watched as his brother’s eyes narrowed in thought. He had never been close to his brother, they grew up on completely different sides of the castle. 

Jun was trained to be the perfect Crown Prince and to follow in his father’s footsteps as King. His father had always been less concerned about Jaehyun and what he did, leaving him to his mother’s care. Because of this, the two brothers had grown up completely differently. Jun was taught to be ruthless and firm, to trust few and have no mercy. Jaehyun, on the other hand, was taught compassion and love. His mother taught him to be kind to all and to rule with his heart; not that he ever would be king.

“Several new positions in the palace have been opened due to the wedding.” The Crown Prince drawled with a wave of his hand. “Florists, cooks, musicians, and such. See that they are settled in when they arrive.”

“Yes, Crown Prince.”

Jun watched him for another moment. “Dismissed,” He said, shooing Jaehyun away with his hand. “Oh and send that guard of yours in would you?”

He cocked his head to the side, wondering why his brother would need to see Yukhei. 

The Crown Prince raised an eyebrow at his blatant confusion. “I need to speak with him concerning security for our guests. Now leave.”

Jaehyun bowed once more before taking his leave and motioning for Yukhei to go in after him. He barely registered his guard’s confused glance before he stalked off back to his chambers, mind full of the new found duties he had been given.

 

\---

 

That night, Jaehyun lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling. His day had been a strange one; usually, when he left the castle he didn’t speak to anyone, and he certainly never talked to anyone like Yuta. He shifted in bed, thoughts on the tailor and his strange gaze. 

It was odd how openly Yuta had spoken of magic. Jaehyun hadn’t heard someone talk about spells in years, it just wasn’t a topic regularly brought up within the palace walls. He had assumed no one spoke of it in Reinea at all, much less practiced it. Maybe Yuta had been hurt by a magic wielder and that was how he knew. Jaehyun clenched his fist, those who had magic blood but were untrained were extremely dangerous. They had no control, and when they attempted to perform spells, it often went disastrously. 

His father’s angry voice from a past memory filled his head; yelling at a woman who had been exposed for practicing magic. Jaehyun remembered the day clearly, he had only been ten years old. His father had forced him and his mother to come to the throne room, something that rarely happened. When Jaehyun and his mother had entered the room, he had immediately noticed a woman shackled and kneeling before his father. She hadn’t lifted her head at their entrance, but Jaehyun had heard small sobs coming from her. 

His father had looked up, eyes cold as he gestured for them to come closer. Jaehyun and his mother had watched as his father questioned the woman. He had asked why she was practicing magic despite knowing that it was forbidden.

“It’s who I am,” The woman had said, voice shaking. “I’m of magic blood.”

The King had laughed, a merciless and heartless laugh. Jaehyun remembered his mother taking his hand then, attempting to soothe his obvious fear and calm his heart which beat so loudly in his chest.

“You’re dangerous,” His father had spit. “You killed him.”

The woman had looked up, fear painting her face. She had looked impossibly small and hopeless, her face pale. “No!” She had gasped. “No, you’re lying.”

“I’m not. Your magic killed your husband, and now you must live with that.”

Jaehyun remembered her screaming as the guards took her away, he remembered her cries that echoed throughout the halls. He remembered his father, who turned to him with a soulless smile and said. “They’re killers, Jaehyun. Don’t ever trust someone of magic blood.”


	2. 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> let's get it

Jaehyun couldn’t imagine his life without Sicheng. 

They had grown up together in the palace, and a majority of Jaehyun’s happiest memories were with the other. Despite the differences in status; Jaehyun a prince and Sicheng the younger brother of the palace doctor, the pair complemented each other perfectly. Sicheng was one of Jaehyun’s only true friends. 

“Jae, you’re not focusing.”

Jaehyun exhaled loudly, letting his head fall onto the table. “It’s boring!” He whined, turning to let his cheek rest against the cool wooden surface so that he could pout up at his best friend.

The two were attempting to study history or something; Jaehyun really couldn’t remember. It had been Sicheng who had suggested coming to the library, as always. The other practically lived there.

Sicheng stared back at him, thoroughly unimpressed. “Everything involving books is boring to you, Jae.”

“Not true!”

“Uh, yes true!”

“Prove it.”

Sicheng crossed his arms and looked at Jaehyun with his eyebrows raised. “Name the last book you willingly read.” 

Jaehyun automatically smiled in an exaggerated way and responded in an innocent sounding tone. “I always love to read what you tell me to.” 

The glare that Sicheng sent his way conveyed just how unbelieving he was of Jaehyun’s claim. Jaehyun frowned at the other’s lack of response and lifted his head from the table. “Don’t be such a bully.” 

Sicheng’s laughter filled the library which was, thankfully, empty. It was a beautiful day and most people were outside enjoying the weather, something Jaehyun very much wished he was doing.

“Fine, let’s try this again.” Sicheng cleared his throat, eyes immediately focusing on the thick book laying open on the table in front of him. “The Kingdom of Avon’s current royal family.” He looked up at Jaehyun, gesturing for him to answer.

“Uh.” Jaehyun stalled, resting his chin on the palm of his hand. “No idea.”

Sicheng huffed in exasperation. “How do you not know?”

Again, Jaehyun found himself whining to the other. “It’s not like they ever visit, you know they’re like the most pro-magic kingdom ever.” Sicheng hummed in agreement, tapping his fingers on the book. “Besides, they definitely wouldn’t come now.”

It was true, the Kingdom of Avon was known for its large amount of magic blooded people. When Reinea had banned all magic twenty years ago, many had fled to the safety of Avon. At the time, Jaehyun’s father hadn’t been bothered by it, it had simply meant fewer magic wielders in Reinea. However, tensions had been rising between the two kingdoms recently. The large number of magic blooded people in Avon wasn’t helping the problem at all.

“You know, maybe you guys should’ve invited the Avon royals to the wedding.” 

Jaehyun snorted at Sicheng’s words. “It’s not like I get a say in anything,” He looked out the window, observing a trio of guards sparring out in the field; he’d rather be outside in the sunshine than in a dusty, empty library. “And even if they did come, it would’ve just been a ton of passive-aggressive comments about borders and magic for the whole two weeks.”

Sicheng nodded in agreement. Every day, relations with Avon were declining, something that had been years in the making. Between small border disputes and disagreement toward the treatment of magic blooded people, the likelihood of a future war between Reinea and Avon seemed almost inevitable.

The Avon ambassador, a polite yet boring woman named Nayoung, mainly kept to herself. Jaehyun supposed he would too if everyone at Court hated him. Still, he went out of his way to always smile when he saw her, he couldn’t imagine her position was easy.

“At least tell me you know the names of the five major kingdoms.” Sicheng said in a mocking voice, bringing them back to the subject of studying.

Jaehyun turned his attention to his best friend, a hurt expression displayed across his face. “Of course I do, I’m not stupid.”

“Could’ve fooled me.”

“Hey!”

A knock on the door interrupted the pair’s bickering, causing both of them to straighten up from where they had begun to lean across the table.

“Yeah?” Jaehyun yelled, shooting a glare at Sicheng who stuck his tongue out in response.

Johnny stepped in, expression carefully blank but amusement clear in his eyes, evidence that he had heard their bickering. “Your Highness, it’s time for your training.”

Jaehyun smiled in delight and stood up from his seat as quickly as he could. Making sure to stretch his arms out in an exaggerated manner, he looked over to his friend. “You’re coming right?”

Sicheng’s playful expression immediately turned to one of horror. “Please don’t make me.”

Jaehyun grinned mischievously, glancing over to Johnny who seemed to be struggling to maintain his blank expression. “Come on,” Jaehyun exclaimed brightly. “You need it.”

This time, an offended expression overtook Sicheng’s face instead. Before the other could argue any further, Jaehyun pulled his friend out of his chair and to the door. “Let’s go you big baby, it’s honestly not that bad.”

“I’m seriously going to hit you.”

 

\---

 

Training with his personal guard was one of Jaehyun’s favorite things to do. Technically, he had only two constant members: Johnny and Yukhei. The other guards rotated out between him and the Crown Prince, something he didn’t mind too much. He only truly knew Johnny, and despite the other’s attempts to remain professional, Jaehyun liked to think that they were friends.

“Don’t drop your shoulder so low.”

Jaehyun giggled as he watched Johnny give firm instructions to his best friend who was obviously struggling. Sicheng had always been more successful at academics than at physical activities; something that was the opposite for Jaehyun. 

“You’re too slow in your movements, don’t focus so much on my face,” Johnny said to Sicheng as the pair circled each other. “Instead, try to watch my legs. Most people tend to give away their next move by the position of their feet and how they hold their weight.”

As the two sparred, Jaehyun sat perched on the metal fence that surrounded the small mock-arena in the outdoor training grounds. It was mainly used by the guards only, but Jaehyun preferred it to the training room in the palace that was for the nobles and royals since they tended to only use it to show off.

The sky, Jaehyun noticed, was increasingly becoming a bit darker. Every so often, one of the wispy gray clouds blocked out the sun, casting the training grounds in a shadowy glow. The abrupt change in weather was oddly soothing to Jaehyun.

Sicheng’s frustrated growl filled the peaceful air as Johnny hit his leg with the wooden practice sword once again. “Can I stop now.” He grumbled moodily, crossing his arms and dropping his own practice sword on the ground

Johnny smiled gently at him and nodded. “Yeah sure.” He turned to Jaehyun who was snickering at his friend. “Your turn, my Prince.”

Jaehyun grinned and hopped down, his armor clinking as he did so. He wasn’t dressed in full body armor, just a thin chest plate that was used mainly for practice. He grabbed his practice sword from where it had been resting on the ground and made his way toward Johnny.

“Prepare to lose, Seo.”

Johnny laughed at Jaehyun’s confidence; they both knew that Jaehyun didn’t stand a chance at winning against him. 

The sun beat down on the pair, clouds not yet offering any reprise. The air began to fill with the scent of rain as they began basic exercises; falling into a well-rehearsed rhythm. Jaehyun relished in the shortness of breath he got from exerting himself; the dull, melodic clang of the wooden swords hitting each other became music to his ears. Training with Johnny never failed to clear his head and ease his stress. 

Sweat trickled down Jaehyun’s back as they finished their casual warm up and Johnny stepped back, a glint present in his eye. Jaehyun smirked and raised his sword in sparring position, gesturing for Johnny to do the same. 

The wind whipped around them, blowing their hair across their faces as if it was urging them on. From his place on the fence, Sicheng let out a cheer; evidently, he was feeling better now that he wasn’t being forced to partake in physical activities.

Johnny advanced first, swinging down at Jaehyun’s torso. Easily, Jaehyun stepped out of the way. He took advantage of Johnny’s slightly exposed position and thrust upward with his sword, the tip aimed at the other’s armpit. Johnny dodged quickly and swiped the attempt away with his own sword before lunging forward again and swinging, lightly hitting Jaehyun’s arm.

Sicheng cheered and Johnny grinned slightly at him as he ground his teeth together. “Lucky shot.” Jaehyun said lightly, stepping back and fixing his stance.

Johnny laughed and mirrored his move, eyes trained patiently on his face. Jaehyun licked his lips before moving in again as quickly as he could. He dodged Johnny’s swing at his legs and spun around as he passed the other, bringing up his sword and hitting Johnny’s shoulder.

Overhead, thunder began to rumble within the clouds that had darkened considerably. Jaehyun glanced up just as a small droplet of rain splashed across his forehead. Water trickled down his temple and toward his neck, and the feeling refreshed him as the rain mixed with the sweat that already clung to his body.

A flurry of movements from Johnny brought Jaehyun back to the ground and he barely managed to twist his body in a way so that the other’s sword only grazed his stomach. That was two points for Johnny.

“Don’t get distracted now,” Johnny said with a grin, swiping again at Jaehyun’s feet. “Only one more hit and I win.”

Jaehyun danced back, away from Johnny’s swing. The rain began to fall heavier and harder, soaking them to the bone. The small protection that the chest plate they both wore offered didn’t last long against the relentless pounding of rain. Strangely, Jaehyun found that he didn’t feel cold. He slicked his hair back and out of his field of vision and took a deep breath, gathering his newly found energy before lunging forward at Johnny. 

Just as Jaehyun’s wooden sword connected with Johnny’s right thigh, he noticed that the other didn’t seem to be paying attention. Instead, his guard was gazing up at the clouds, an expression that verged on the side of worry was displayed across his face.

“Now who’s the distracted one.” Jaehyun gloated, attempting to snap Johnny out of whatever had gotten into him. 

Johnny looked back down at Jaehyun, eyebrows scrunched in thought. A victorious smile overtook Jaehyun’s face before suddenly he found himself on the ground, Johnny’s foot perched on his chest. He blinked widely, the world above him spinning as his ears were filled with Sicheng’s laughter. Johnny had used his leg to kick Jaehyun’s out from beneath him. Classic move.

The rain tickled his nose as Johnny’s smiling face loomed above him. “Don’t let yourself get too cocky.”

Jaehyun cracked a smile of his own as his guard helped him up, clapping him on the back once he was standing up straight again. The rain lightened up a bit as if it had been waiting for their sparring to end.

“Jae!” Sicheng yelled from the fence, pointing at something behind him. Jaehyun turned to see an equally soaked Yukhei jogging toward them from the palace. He was fairly new, having only just been transferred from a general guard to one of Jaehyun’s personal ones. Yukhei was only a year or two younger than himself, and eager to prove his abilities to the world. 

“Well,” Jaehyun said in a playful tone as he watched the other near him. “Look who it is.”

Next to him, Johnny suppressed a laugh. He knew that Johnny had grown fond of Yukhei, just as Jaehyun himself had, and he was fairly certain that the other saw himself within the younger guard. After all, Johnny had been Yukhei’s age when he had joined Jaehyun’s personal guard three years ago. Unlike Yukhei however, Johnny tried to remain as professional as he could.

“Jaehyun.” Yukhei breathed out once he had arrived in front of the Prince.

Johnny coughed, tilting his head at the younger guard and giving him a look. He had never liked that Yukhei was so casual with Jaehyun, especially so quickly.

“Sorry sir,” Yukhei said to Johnny, flushing slightly before looking back at Jaehyun. “Your Highness.”

Jaehyun rolled his eyes at the title but gestured for the other to continue, ignoring Sicheng’s snort. Yukhei gave him an apologetic look and Jaehyun watched with interest as a lone raindrop made its way down the guard’s cheek, resembling a tear. 

“The Lilla royal family has arrived.”

 

\---

 

The royal family of Lilla was, in Jaehyun’s humble opinion, annoying. The Princess, his brother’s fiancee, wasn’t all that bad; she mainly just watched as her obnoxious parents hounded Jaehyun with unnecessary questions. 

“So is that real?” 

Jaehyun looked down at his ring that the Lilla Queen was pointing at. The stone gleamed in the dull lighting, the silver of the sides shining in a way that made it appear as if it was winking at him. He looked back up at the Lilla Queen, her face was scrunched in an unflattering way as her gaze remained locked on his hand. 

Jaehyun barely concealed his expression, managing to paste a pleasant smile across his face. “Yes, as far as I know, it is.” He responded in a polite voice as he continued to lead the Lilla royals down the hallway and toward their guest chambers.

“I remember your mother wearing it.” The Lilla Queen continued in a pensive voice. “I’d always meant to ask.”

Jaehyun tensed at the abrupt mention of his mother. Not many people in the Reinea palace spoke of her much anymore.

“She was an odd one.” The Lilla King mumbled to himself and Jaehyun closed his eyes briefly, inhaling deeply to calm himself. 

He had to be polite, it was important that he kept them happy. The kingdom of Lilla might be small but it was one of the kingdoms that supported the ban of magic. With the uneasiness that was brewing with Avon, Reinea needed Lilla’s support.

The Lilla King cleared his throat. “This is my daughter’s first time in Reinea,” He chuckled and patted his daughter’s arm lightly. “And now she’s going to live here.”

The Princess was staring at her feet, hair blocking her face from view. Jaehyun felt a pang of sympathy toward the girl, she was moving to an entirely new kingdom and marrying the future king, all without knowing anyone beforehand.

“And do you like it so far Princess?” Jaehyun asked in a gentle tone.

The Princess looked up quickly, expression openly confused. Jaehyun found it odd but smiled just the same. Slowly, she started to smile back. “It’s beautiful.”

Jaehyun nodded in agreement, Reinea was known for its’ gorgeous landscape. The mountains that scattered throughout the kingdom always caught the eye of visitors.

Voices echoed throughout the hallway as they passed the ballroom, the place where the wedding would take place. Servants were bustling in and out of the open doors, all seeming to have important tasks to fulfill. The room, Jaehyun knew, would completely transform for the wedding. It was already beautiful, with high ceilings that had a night sky painted on it in various colors. It was one of Jaehyun’s favorite things about the palace; he hoped they would at least keep that for the wedding.

“Oh!” The Lilla Queen exclaimed excitedly. “Will the Crown Prince be in there?”

Jaehyun kept his expression carefully blank. “No ma’am, the Crown Prince is taking care of other important matters concerning the wedding.”

In reality, he had no idea what his brother was doing, only that he wasn’t with them. He had instead left the job of entertaining his soon to be in-laws to Jaehyun. 

The group kept walking, Jaehyun staying at the lead. He walked with his head held high and shoulder back, just as he had been taught to do. Sicheng liked to joke that Jaehyun had a regular mode and a prince mode. When Jaehyun was in the public eye, in the main halls of the palace where he was expected to be the perfect prince, he acted one way; Sicheng always said that it was like he wore a mask. In prince mode, he became more charming and less likely to become flustered, keeping his emotions hidden. He assumed most royals were like that.

“Sorry for my parents.”

Jaehyun looked down in surprise at the Princess who had appeared next to him. “I’m sorry?”

She held his gaze, her delicate features drawn up in a small grimace. “My parents,” A servant hurried by, bowing slightly when he caught sight of Jaehyun. “I know they can be a little much.”

Jaehyun smiled, a smile he knew to be his most charming. “It’s no issue, Princess.”

The Princess giggled behind her hand, she really was beautiful. “Please, call me Sooyoung.”

The group soon passed the throne room, the doors of which were open wide, unlike the day before. Inside, Jaehyun could make out the figure of his father, perched upon his grand throne and speaking to some nobles. Not wanting his father to spot them, he attempted to walk faster.

“Second Prince!”

Jaehyun tensed and abruptly stopped in his tracks at his father’s booming voice. His title echoed throughout the hallway, forcing Jaehyun to turn on his heel and gracefully make his way into the throne room. The Lilla royals followed him, silent for the first time. 

The room was empty save a few guards and the man sitting on the lavish throne. The nobles that had been speaking to the King left abruptly, all bowing their heads at the royals as they passed. 

As Jaehyun made his way toward his father, he nervously began to spin his ring on his finger, a habit he had picked up from his mother.

The Reinea King stepped down from his throne and threw his arms open wide. “Welcome, King and Queen of Lilla.” He bowed his head slightly at the pair who did the same back and then turned to Sooyoung. “Princess.”

She smiled pleasantly at him and ducked her head.

Jaehyun’s father smiled back, a charming smile to anyone who didn’t know him well. “My youngest son was so focused about settling you in that he almost forgot to let me greet you.”

The Lilla royals laughed politely as Jaehyun plastered a fake smile on his face, the grip on his ring tightening. “I apologize, father.”

The Reinea King waved his hand in dismissal and moved closer to the Lilla royals. “It’s an honor that you are here and an even bigger honor that you have allowed your daughter to marry our beloved Crown Prince.”

Jaehyun resisted the urge to roll his eyes; he hated all of this fake talk between the higher up class. His father always acted like this around those he wished to impress. Jaehyun wasn’t sure why he bothered, his reputation for being a merciless king was widely known. Looking at the Sooyoung’s nervous stance, it was obvious that the Lilla royals were aware.

“The honor is all ours.” The Lilla King responded before looking briefly around the throne room. “Are we the only royals attending?”

“Regretfully, I must say that you are.” For a second, Jaehyun saw his father’s smile waver, a dark flicker in his expression, before he returned back to his smile. “You know how Avon is being difficult, of course.”

The Lilla royals nodded sympathetically, Jaehyun thought that they very much resembled puppets.

“Well.” His father sighed, an exaggerated action to show how tired and inconvenienced he was. “The Drangora royals felt uncomfortable traveling through Avon.”

Again, the royals nodded in understanding. The five major kingdoms: Reinea, Avon, Lilla, Drangora, and Erarus, had never all gotten along. It was rare that the royals from every kingdom gathered in one place.

While Reinea and Lilla were very much against magic use within their kingdoms, Avon and Erarus were full of magic blooded people. Drangora managed to be fairly neutral; they didn’t actively support magic but it was also not illegal. The royals from Drangora not wishing to travel through Avon was to be expected, especially when their destination would be Reinea. 

“I completely understand Drangora,” The Lilla Queen said and gestured out the window. “As for Erarus, well they’re Erarus. They’re much too dark for such a joyous occasion.”

It wasn’t that Erarus and Avon were allied against Reinea, it was that no royal of Erarus had been seen in years. From the mention of the name, Jaehyun felt himself shiver. Erarus was notorious for their use of dark magic, something that the other four kingdoms could agree on disliking greatly. However, the small kingdom was slightly separated from the mainland, so it mainly kept to itself. The fact that no one from Erarus would attend the wedding was something that very few were heartbroken or surprised about.

The Reinea King sharply looked at the Lilla Queen, smile falling from his face at her comment. “All magic comes from a dark place, there is no magic that is natural. I do not wish for magic blood to enter our kingdom.” His expression became darker and a sneer formed on his face. “Drangora’s indecisiveness toward such a thing is irksome and unneeded.”

Jaehyun felt himself become antsy, the conversation had taken a dangerous turn, something that the Lilla royals seemed to have realized if the paling of their faces was anything to go by. He wanted desperately to leave the throne room and the conversation. 

Suddenly, a woman ran through the doors of the throne room, dark red robes flowing behind her. She stopped just in front of the group, cheeks flushed pink from her exertion. Jaehyun recognized the woman to be one of his father’s generals; however, her name was not one that he had deemed important enough to remember. The Reinea King was notorious for replacing his generals every time they disappointed him.

The general moved forward, past the royals and to Jaehyun’s father to whisper something in his ear. As she spoke, the dark look that had begun to creep onto the King’s face faded into a brighter and more enthusiastic expression. Curious, Jaehyun strained his ears to hear the general’s words, taking a small step forward.

“... Tracked them down to the northern wall... Downstairs... We can start questioning now...”

Jaehyun resisted the urge to move closer to hear the rest of what the general was reporting. It sounded as if she had caught a person of magic blood, but usually, it wasn’t important enough for the general herself to directly report to the King. Jaehyun tilted his head in confusion; why did his father seem so delighted by the news?

Suddenly, the Reinea King turned back to the Lilla royals, smile now broadly displayed on his face “You’ll have to excuse me, I have some very urgent business to attend to. Prince Jaehyun here will take you to your rooms. It was very nice to see you again.”

The Lilla royals echoed him before obediently following Jaehyun out of the throne room. Before they exited, Jaehyun glanced back to see the dark look overtaking his father’s expression again as he turned back to the general.

 

\---

 

The next day, Jaehyun found himself fluttering about the castle. After making sure the Lilla royals had gotten to their rooms, he had immediately started to prepare for more of the newcomers. His brother had asked him to oversee the preparations for the new workers who would stay in the palace for the wedding, and so that’s what he did. 

“Slow down Jae.” Sicheng called out from his comfortable spot on one of Jaehyun’s armchairs in his room. 

Jaehyun scoffed, looking up from where he had been going over the list of workers. “This has to be done before the new workers arrive.” He blew irritably at a strand of hair which fell over his eye. “Don’t tell me to slow down.”

The workers would be arriving later that day; there was a total of fifteen. “One cook, six musicians, two servants, two tailors.” Jaehyun mumbled under his breath, inhaling sharply when he read the word ‘tailor’. 

A vision of Yuta’s small smile abruptly invaded his thoughts. A warm feeling began to fill his chest before he quickly shook his head as if doing so would erase the image of the beautiful man who saved his life. 

“You good?” Sicheng asked in concern, sitting up upon seeing Jaehyun’s distressed state. 

Jaehyun blinked, he couldn’t space out over just seeing a word, and he definitely couldn’t daydream about Yuta. “Yeah yeah, I’m good.”

His best friend looked unimpressed. “You need to take a break.”

The urge to laugh overtook him. “I can’t take a break!” He ran his hand through his hair and looked up at Sicheng. “If this doesn’t get done, the Crown Prince will kill me.”

Sicheng frowned at Jaehyun’s words. But what he said was true, the Crown Prince never failed to chew him out when he failed at something. It was the only time he saw his brother hold any sort of expression that even resembled joy.

“How were the Lilla royals?” Sicheng asked, obviously trying to distract Jaehyun from his thoughts.

Jaehyun snorted. “Annoying.” He marked off one of the guest rooms for the musicians to share. “The Princess seemed nice though. But she obviously was uncomfortable the whole time.”

Sicheng hummed in response, eyes filling with pity. “Poor thing. Imagine having to marry someone like your brother.”

Jaehyun shivered at the thought, he could never love someone who was so uncaring about those around him. He wanted someone who was genuine, not that what he wanted mattered. Being the Second Prince meant that he would have to marry someone his father picked out for him. Probably a noble’s child or someone else of equal status, someone that would strengthen the kingdom with their union. He was only his father’s pawn after all.

Sighing, Jaehyun stood up from his spot on the floor. “Come on, let’s go make sure the rooms are ready.”

The pair headed off down the hallway, Yukhei trailing behind at a small distance. They passed many busy looking people, all hurrying to get things done for the wedding and the arrival of so many guests. Jaehyun really couldn’t wait for these two weeks to be over.

“Your Highness,” Yukhei said in a low voice from behind him. “The new workers will be arriving soon.”

Jaehyun sped up his pace, he wanted to make sure their rooms were perfect before they came. As he entered the North corridor where the guest rooms were located, he noticed a commotion. At the end of the hallway was a crowd of servants, all gathered around something.

He automatically squared his shoulders and marched forward, expression serious. Next to him, Sicheng snickered. “Prince mode activated.”

Ignoring his friend’s comment, Jaehyun made his way toward the servants that had gathered. Upon seeing their prince, they all quickly bowed and scattered, going back to their previous work. 

“My Prince.”

Jaehyun peered around a particularly large cluster of servants hurrying past him and saw Kun, the son of two very prominent people in Reinea. The other was slightly bowed to show his respect, his purple robes that highlighted his high status flowed out around him.

“Kun!”

Jaehyun barely had time to step out of the way before Sicheng had launched himself at Kun, a smile spread broadly across his face. 

“It’s been ages since you’ve visited!” Sicheng exclaimed excitedly as Kun laughed along with him.

Sicheng had always been much closer to Kun, never failing to lighten up when the other visited the palace. Despite being the son of a high ranking general and a well-respected noble, Kun lived in the city. He had once admitted that his family didn’t like the atmosphere of the palace and so they only visited, not wanting to live there. Jaehyun understood, he’s not sure he would want to live in the palace either if he had a choice. 

Kun patted Sicheng’s hair in a soothing manner. “What have I missed?”

Sicheng detached himself from the other’s hold and stepped back to look at Jaehyun. “Nothing really. The castle has just been chaos.”

Kun nodded in understanding, glancing around at the servants who filled the halls. The light that shown through the window from the sun cast a heavenly looking glow around Kun, illuminating him in a warm golden color. At that moment, Jaehyun thought that he resembled an angel.

Jaehyun cleared his throat, stepping forward to clasp Kun on the shoulder. “Not that it isn’t lovely to see you but what are you doing here? I thought you would try to avoid the palace for as long as possible until the wedding day.”

The twinkling laughter of the other bounced off the stone walls, causing some nearby servants to turn their heads as if captivated by the noise alone. Kun shook his head and adjusted his robes around him. “The tailor I use is actually staying here for the wedding, I just wanted to make sure he was all settled in.”

Panic filled Jaehyun; if the workers were already here that meant that they were in their rooms, rooms that he hadn’t gotten to check yet. Sicheng, noticing Jaehyun’s inner distress placed a calming hand on his shoulder. “I’m sure the rooms are fine Jae.”

Kun tilted his head in confusion as if he wasn’t sure why Jaehyun would care so much. “Yes, his room seemed perfectly acceptable.”

“I just,” Jaehyun began, twisting his hands together. “Wanted their living arrangements for the next two weeks to be as good as everyone else's.”

Well, as good as he could make them. Since the new workers weren’t officially employed by the palace, they got to stay in the guest rooms not reserved for royals and other higher class. 

Kun regarded him with an unreadable expression before shaking his head and turning back to Sicheng. “Well, I must be off.” He winked at the other and moved to pass them. “You’ll probably see me around.”

Jaehyun laughed at the comment. While they weren’t close, he had always enjoyed Kun’s company and the calm he brought with it. Sicheng hugged Kun one last time before he walked away, leaving the two best friends standing alone in the hallway.

“I should check to see if they need anything.” Jaehyun stated once Kun was out of sight. He quickly stalked off, toward the rooms that the workers were staying in. Behind him, he heard Sicheng sigh before following him, mumbling something about princes and duties.

As Jaehyun turned the corner, he walked directly into another person, resulting in the both of them falling to the ground. He quickly scrambled to his feet, apologies spewing out of his mouth before stopping abruptly.

Jaehyun’s eyes took in the muddy work boots of whom he had collided with and traveled up to observe the simple gray work robes and the fingerless leather gloves that covered calloused hands. Jaehyun inhaled sharply as he took notice of the long black wavy hair that framed a face he knew well, one that haunted his thoughts and dreams. A face that looked back at him in a mixture of shock and betrayal; a face that belonged to Yuta.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who has hyped up this story so far and left comments/feedback on the last chapter, it meant so much to me! 
> 
>  
> 
> [ My Twitter ](https://twitter.com/markscurls)  
> [ CC ](https://curiouscat.me/markscurls)


	3. Chapter 3

Tap. Tap. Tap.

The dull sound of Jaehyun’s fingers moving against the table did nothing to soothe him as he anxiously waited in the dining hall. Darkly lit, the hall held an atmosphere of calmness, something that Jaehyun definitely wasn’t feeling.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Around the room, nobles and other guests of the palace took their seats, all conversing pleasantly. A few looked as if they wanted to approach Jaehyun, but they must have noticed what a distracted state he was in, eyes blankly staring at the stone wall across from him.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

A rustle of movement caught Jaehyun’s attention and his eyes darted quickly up to the entrance of the large dining hall. Through the doors came Sicheng who made his way toward the table Jaehyun sat at, barely looking up from his book as he did so.

Disappointed, Jaehyun returned his gaze back to the wall; he had been hoping to see Yuta. The tailor, as well as the other workers hired for the wedding that had just arrived, were welcome to eat meals in the dining hall every day.

Unlike his father, Jaehyun enjoyed eating in the dining hall with other people who lived in the palace. Doing so meant he could sit with Sicheng and any other casual friend of his who would visit. The Reinea King preferred to eat in the throne room with a select few people or alone in his chambers. Jaehyun thought that doing so sounded very lonely, and he was glad that his father rarely requested his presence at dinner. Really, he was.

Sicheng fell into the open chair beside Jaehyun, huffing out a sigh of exhaustion. He often helped his older brother, the palace physician, by running errands and assisting in any way that he could.

“I’m so unbelievably hungry.” Sicheng mumbled, positioning his book on his lap.

Jaehyun let out a hum of acknowledgment as the other continued to read on as if he had never spoken at all. One astonishing thing about Sicheng was his ability to read whenever he had free time, even during meals. Jaehyun was used to it.

The room continued to fill with people, the light chatter steadily growing in volume. While his friend was becoming engrossed in his new novel of the week, Jaehyun let his thoughts wander to the event that had taken place earlier that day; when he had seen Yuta.

 

_“Jae!” Sicheng yelled, rushing to Jaehyun as soon as he registered what had happened._

_Jaehyun stood motionless as he stared back at Yuta, completely unable to fix his expression into the perfect blankness he should have been wearing. Yuta looked as if he was going to say something, his eyes were fixated on Jaehyun’s silver robes that highlighted just who exactly he was._

_“Your Highness, are you alright?” Yukhei questioned, appearing at his other side with a concerned gaze._

_Yuta simply stared at him, mouth slack and expression hurt for only a moment more before he schooled his expression. His confusion faded into what Jaehyun could only describe as resentment. The look on the other’s face made the sinking feeling that had begun to take place in Jaehyun’s gut consume him; he felt as if he could hardly breathe. Did Yuta really despise him so much for concealing his identity?_

_Yukhei abruptly became alert after realizing Jaehyun was fine, gaze turning hostile as he scanned Yuta. “Who are you?” He demanded, hand resting on his sword hilt. “What is your business here?”_

_Yuta’s gaze flickered to Yukhei’s weapon before they fixated back on Jaehyun. “I apologize, My Prince,” Jaehyun flinched at Yuta’s use of his title. “I’m just a tailor, a nobody.”_

_The manner in which Yuta spoke sounded nothing like he did the night he saved Jaehyun. Instead of his warm and calm tone, he now spoke in clipped, chilling words. The difference stood out to Jaehyun who had admired the openness and warmness Yuta had displayed toward him before._

_“I have been hired to attend to the fittings of the royal families for the Crown Prince’s wedding,” Yuta continued, eyes moving down Jaehyun’s frame before shifting to a spot above his shoulder. “I’ve been told my temporary residence is in this hall.”_

_Without meaning to, Jaehyun found himself reaching out toward Yuta, only for the other to step back and fixate his cold gaze on him once again. Hurt filled Jaehyun, just as much as confusion._

_He could feel Sicheng’s questioning gaze on his face but he refused to look away from Yuta. Something flickered in Yuta’s eyes before the other bowed slightly. “I should return to my rooms,” He straightened up, refusing to look at Jaehyun. “I hope you’ll forgive me for my careless actions.”_

_With that, Yuta turned around and walked back to his room, leaving Jaehyun standing stuck in his confusion._

 

“Jae?”

Thoroughly jerked from his thoughts, Jaehyun looked up in surprise to Sicheng who had spoken. His friend looked at him in confusion, brow furrowed in worry. “Are you good?”

Sicheng had set his book in his lap, his page marked by a thin strip of fabric. For Sicheng to stop reading to speak to Jaehyun meant he was truly worried. Offering a weak smile, Jaehyun nodded. Sicheng looked unconvinced as he reached forward to take Jaehyun’s hand. “What are you thinking about?”

Looking at Sicheng’s concerned face, all Jaehyun wanted to do was confide in his best friend. He wanted to tell him about how Yuta had saved him, about their first meeting.

As he opened his mouth to do so, a movement caught the corner of his eye. He turned to see Johnny moving forward slightly from his post against the wall, body tense and eyes locked on something. Jaehyun followed his guard’s gaze, curious; his heart rate sped up when he saw Yuta who had just entered the dining hall.

Yuta was alone, eyes searching the hall in observation; his gaze landed on Jaehyun and he felt his heart sink as he watched the other’s eyes grow cold.

At that moment, Kun approached Yuta, a smile spread across his face. Jaehyun watched as the pair conversed; Yuta looked particularly unhappy about something. The two continued to speak, verging on something that looked like an argument before Kun abruptly seized Yuta’s arm and tugged him further into the room; right to Jaehyun’s table.

Jaehyun felt his palms grow clammy and he quickly turned around to look at Sicheng, hoping the other would calm him down. “Hey, Dummy.”

At his words, Sicheng raised an eyebrow, his concerned expression lifting into one of annoyance. He fixated a glare on Jaehyun’s face at the name he had called him. “I,” Sicheng began, setting his book on the table and shifting fully toward Jaehyun. “Am definitely not the dummy here.”

Jaehyun opened his mouth to respond, already plastering a wounded look on his face when he was interrupted by Kun’s voice.

“Jaehyun.”

At his name, Jaehyun looked up from Sicheng, breath hitching as his gaze landed on Yuta who was staring intently at the ground, before looking at Kun. “Yes?”

Kun smiled widely and gestured to Yuta. “This is my tailor I was telling you about,” He put a hand on Yuta’s shoulder and Jaehyun couldn’t help but fixate on the gesture. “His name is Yuta.”

Jaehyun resisted the urge to blurt out that he already knew his name; instead, he straightened up and mirrored Kun’s smile. “Nice to officially meet you, Yuta.”

Yuta looked up at Jaehyun, eyes narrowed. “Likewise, Your Highness.”

Jaehyun chuckled, a strained action that Sicheng no doubtfully picked up on. “No need for such pretentious titles,” Yuta didn’t respond and Jaehyun cleared his throat, looking back at Kun. “Well, are you going to sit or what?”

Kun laughed lightly at Jaehyun's antics, used to his teasing nature. Yuta on the other hand, seemed surprised as Kun dragged him down into a chair across from Jaehyun.

After introducing Sicheng to Yuta, Jaehyun sat back, content to listen as Kun and Sicheng conversed pleasantly about how their past few months had been. He was grateful that he didn’t need to be completely in prince mode around his friends.

“So,” Kun started, breaking Jaehyun out of his thoughts. “What have you been up to Jaehyun? Not getting into any trouble, are we?”

Yuta coughed suddenly, obviously trying to cover up laughter and Jaehyun resisted the urge to glare at him. He could feel everyone’s eyes on him as he tried to ignore the sudden stinging that arose from his wound as if it was reminding him.

Knowing fully well that he had been getting into trouble, Jaehyun simply shrugged and moved his food around on his plate, hoping Yuta wouldn’t say anything.

Next to him, Sicheng snorted. “Jae’s been busy with making sure this wedding is perfect.”

Yuta looked up quickly at the use of Jaehyun’s nickname, the name that he had given the tailor first. Yuta appeared surprised as if he had expected Jaehyun to be a completely different person from who he was when they first met. Jaehyun resisted the urge to smile at the other’s expression.

“I’ve noticed,” Kun spoke up, pensively looking at him. “Why is that?”

Because it was what was expected of him. Because if he messed anything up, his brother would have his head. Because this was his chance to impress his father.

Instead of blurting out any of his main reasons, he just shrugged again. “It’s my duty.”

The look on Kun’s face displayed how disbelieving of this claim he was. “Making sure that the rooms reserved for the workers are just as nice as the ones reserved for guests is your duty?”

Jaehyun pointedly didn’t look at Yuta, whose gaze he could feel on his face. Kun continued speaking, not caring of Jaehyun’s obvious discomfort. “There are servants and other people here that can do that job for you, you know that right?”

“Jae’s always cared a little too much about stuff like this.” Sicheng stated casually, twirling his fork around in his hand. “It’s so annoying. He barely has time to hang out with me anymore.”

“That’s literally not true at all,” Jaehyun retorted, shifting his gaze to his best friend in a mock glare. “I see you every day.”

Sicheng pouted, and Jaehyun poked him in the side, causing the other to squeal and move away quickly. “Besides, you’re just as busy helping Yixing.”

The mention of Sicheng’s brother changed the direction of the conversation as Kun lit up and began asking about him. Kun had always been close to both Sicheng and Yixing.

With the attention off of him, Jaehyun went back observing the people around him. The other workers who had arrived were scattered throughout the hall, all seemingly getting along. Johnny was stationed against the wall, eyes on Jaehyun’s table. Jaehyun wished he could eat with them, but he knew he was on duty.

Slowly, Jaehyun brought his gaze back to the table. Yuta’s eyes flitted down and, despite himself, Jaehyun wanted to smile when he realized the tailor had been looking at him.

“So,” He began, shifting forward as he spoke. “Do you run your business alone, Yuta?”

Yuta tensed at being addressed, shoulders hiking up before he forced them back down. The conversation around them didn’t halt in the slightest; nobody paid attention to the tension gathering between the Prince and the tailor.

“It’s a family business,” Yuta responded, echoing what he had told Jaehyun the first time they had met.

Jaehyun nodded along. “Why are you here alone?”

He watched as Yuta struggled not to tense up again. His features became more pinched before he ducked his head down and out of Jaehyun’s sight.

“We only needed to send one person,” Yuta spoke slowly as if he was being careful with what he said. “My brother was going to come instead but he was unfortunately injured recently.”

At this, Jaehyun became surprised. This was the first time Yuta had mentioned a brother. When they had met, he had said that his family was out of town without him, maybe his brother was injured there.

Suddenly, a flash of fear went through him as he remembered the assassins and Yuta’s concern that they might have been able to track Jaehyun using blood magic. Luckily, he had gotten back to the palace with no incidents, but the assassins might have been led to Yuta’s shop after he left.

Jaehyun leaned forward more, voice now filled with urgency. “Was he injured by people?” Yuta’s face held confusion, showing he didn’t understand what Jaehyun was referring to. “Did anyone go to your shop and injure him?”

Realization struck Yuta’s features and he hesitantly shook his head. “No, no one came to the shop.”

Relief filled Jaehyun and he sagged down in his chair, allowing a small smile to overtake his face. His hair flopped down over his face, mostly obscuring his vision but he could still see Yuta who was looking at him curiously as if he couldn’t understand why Jaehyun would care.

Sighing, Jaehyun sat back up and started to play with his ring on his hand. “What happened to him?” He asked, attempting to seem only politely interested.

“It’s really less of a physical injury.” Yuta said, his tone displayed his confusion at Jaehyun’s question before his eyes widened as if he hadn’t meant to share so much information. He opened his mouth to say something else when Kun suddenly cut him off.

“Oh, Jaehyun I forgot to mention, how has your training been going?”

Jaehyun let his gaze linger on Yuta for a few more seconds before shifting it to look at Kun who was eagerly awaiting his response.

“It’s been good,” He answered easily, mind still stuck on Yuta and his brother. “Johnny’s a really great teacher.”

With the topic of his sparring training now taking over the conversation, Yuta had seemed to relax. Still, Jaehyun’s mind kept traveling to what the other had said. What did he mean his injury was less of a physical one? Did he mean emotionally?

Jaehyun let his eyes lazily scan the hall, and he caught Johnny’s gaze. In his excitement, Jaehyun immediately stuck out his tongue, hoping to get a smile out of the other. Johnny’s eyes twinkled in response as he shook his head, his expression not changing in the slightest. Jaehyun watched in interest as Johnny’s gaze slid over each person who was at his table before locking on Yuta.

 

\---

 

The next day, Jaehyun found himself entering the North corridor where most of the guest chambers were located. He was supposed to entertain some guests that had just arrived, mostly nobles who didn’t normally live in the palace. As he entered the corridor, he noticed a commotion at the end of the hallway where a crowd of servants was all gathered around something.

“What’s the problem here?” Jaehyun asked loudly, authority lacing his voice as he made his way toward the group.

Upon seeing their prince, they all scattered, leaving only a few lingering nearby. On the ground, leaned up against the wall, was Sooyoung. She was obviously distressed about something if the tear marks that stained her face said anything.

One servant remained sitting beside the Princess, a younger one whom Jaehyun recognized from seeing throughout the castle. The servant glanced up at Jaehyun and bowed her head but didn’t move away; instead, she remained next to Sooyoung, a sympathetic expression painted on her face.

At that moment, Sooyoung raised her head to look up at Jaehyun and he felt his heart lurch at the sadness that filled her eyes.

After a quick moment of internal debate, Jaehyun bent down so that their faces were the same height. “Sooyoung?” He spoke softly in a soothing voice. “What’s wrong?”

The other shook her head and looked down, obviously embarrassed at the situation. Jaehyun smiled, a truly genuine smile, and moved closer. “Are you okay?”

Immediately, Sooyoung shook her head again, eyes becoming watery.

“Okay,” Jaehyun said steadily, glancing up at the servant’s worried face. “Okay, here let’s get you to your room.”

He stood up and offered a hand out to Sooyoung. She looked at his outstretched hand for a moment before weakly smiling and taking it, allowing him to help her up. With their hands still interlocked, Jaehyun led her down the hallway and to the private rooms that she was staying in.

The Lilla guard stationed outside of her doorway stepped aside slightly to let them in and Jaehyun motioned for Yukhei to stay outside as well. Opening the door, Jaehyun helped Sooyoung to a nearby couch.

Once Sooyoung was seated, she kept her head down as she wrapped the thin blanket he handed to her around herself. Jaehyun, although worried, didn’t push her to speak; instead, he sat beside her and waited.

The pitter patter of the rain outside could be heard in the room; soft noises of the water filling the silence. Jaehyun focused on the rain, taking notice of how light it was. Recently, it had been raining more often in Reinea, something he found he wasn’t upset about at all.

“I met your brother.”

Jaehyun looked at Sooyoung who had spoken, her head now risen and eyes locked on him. Her gaze was expectant as if she knew he would understand.

He did.

“He’s not who I imagined I would marry.” Sooyoung said softly, her melodic voice blended with the noise of the rain, creating a song of melancholy and heartbreak. Jaehyun closed his eyes, allowing himself to fall into her words.

“As a girl, I dreamed of a beautiful wedding in Lilla,” She continued wistfully. “We have this huge garden, just outside the palace walls with the most lovely roses. I wanted to get married there, in my favorite place, to someone I loved.”

The rain slowed down, the noise of it fading further away. She paused, and Jaehyun didn’t attempt to fill the silence that rang out around them. He knew she wasn’t done.

“I had hoped, once I was older and realized who I married would never be my choice, that I would at least get along with my spouse.”

Jaehyun sighed. "Maybe you just need time to get to know him." 

Even to his own ears, his words sounded unbelievable. 

A cold breeze blew in from outside, and it wrapped around the pair as if it was trying to console them. Sooyoung’s hair moved with it as she clutched the thin blanket closer to her frame.

“I’m going to be stuck here.” She whispered, voice breaking. “Forever.”

Jaehyun reached forward and took her hand, rubbing his thumb along the back of her knuckles in an attempt to soothe her. “You know,” He started, voice scratchy. “Reinea isn’t that bad. The royal family rarely gets to leave but when we do, it's beautiful; the land, the people, just Reinea itself.”

He thought of the market he always visited when he would sneak out, the kind vendors he would meet. The atmosphere of the city had always felt more like home to him than the palace had. His mind wandered to Yuta and he thought of the radiant smile the other had shown him when they had met.

“There are good people here.”

Sicheng who had a true heart of gold. Johnny who tried hard to remain professional but made it so obvious just how much he cared for the people around him. Kun’s mysterious yet genuine nature. Yukhei’s eagerness to help others. The food vendor at the market who always asked Jaehyun how his day was. The servant who helped Sooyoung despite status. Yuta who had saved Jaehyun’s life without a second thought. His mother and her love for everyone.

Jaehyun squeezed Sooyoung’s hand. “There may be some sucky people in Reinea,” Sooyoung laughed lightly. “But there are far more good ones.”

The rain picked up outside, as if it was agreeing with him. 

“It would be easier, I think, if you were my betrothed.” Sooyoung whispered as if she was afraid of breaking the calm atmosphere the rain and wind had provided.

The silence enveloped them; Jaehyun found that he couldn’t respond to Sooyoung’s words, and it was something she seemed to understand.

For a long moment, the pair simply sat there, gently holding hands and staring at the floor. 

“Maybe you can take me with you next time you sneak out.”

At Sooyoung’s words, Jaehyun immediately tensed, turning his wide eyes toward her.

She laughed lightly at his reaction. “Don’t worry, I won’t tell.”

Despite her reassurance, Jaehyun found panic seize him. Someone had to have told her that he often went out into the city. His mind raced as he thought of everyone who was aware of his habit. Johnny would never tell a guest, especially a Lilla royal. Sicheng was also out of the question, he disapproved of Jaehyun’s adventures but he was much too loyal to tell anyone. That only left Yuta.

Anger began to seep through Jaehyun’s body. Out of the three who knew, Yuta was the only one who would have told anyone. Jaehyun clenched his fist, he had no right.

Sooyoung wiped her eyes one last time before standing to her feet and offering a tight smile. “I think I need a nap.”

Jaehyun stared forward for a moment, vision swimming before nodding. “Very well,” He stood and began to make his way to the door. “If you need to talk, I’m always here.”

Sooyoung’s smile became more genuine. Outside, the rain was gone and the wind had calmed as if it was satisfied. However, Jaehyun still felt a storm brewing within him, building in his chest

“Thank you.” Sooyoung said as she walked him to the door. He forced a smile back on his face before taking his leave, sweeping past Yukhei and down the hall.

 

\---

 

Jaehyun found his chance to confront Yuta a few days later. It was late in the day, and most people in the palace were resting before their nightly duties began. The halls were almost deserted, only a few stragglers could be seen making their way around the palace.

Despite his wish to rest, Jaehyun was on his way to the training grounds where Johnny was waiting for him. He yawned softly as he rubbed the tiredness from his eyes, stumbling along down the hallway. He stopped abruptly in his tracks when he saw a familiar figure standing up ahead.

Yuta was dressed as he always was, robes loosely hanging from his frame and hair tied delicately up into a small ponytail. He was looking down at his feet as he walked, not paying much attention to his surroundings.

Without much thought, Jaehyun sped his steps up; Yuta had been stealthily avoiding him since their meal together, something that was beginning to really irk Jaehyun. Yuta startled slightly as the Prince appeared at his side before tensing all together.

“I need to talk to you.” Jaehyun said lowly, reaching for Yuta’s elbow.

The tailor jerked his arm back and out of Jaehyun’s reach. “I don’t have anything to say to you.”

Immediately, frustration surged within Jaehyun. The sound of footsteps up ahead startled the pair and, before Jaehyun knew what he was doing, he had pulled Yuta into a small doorway.

Their positions were reversed from their first encounter, Yuta was now the one against the wall instead of Jaehyun. He took a second to gather his thoughts as the footsteps passed, his eyes traveling over Yuta’s defined features.

“Look.” Jaehyun started, crowding Yuta further against the doorway once the footsteps faded off into the distance.

The other’s gaze was focused on Jaehyun’s chin, a determined look in his eyes as he spoke for the first time in days to him. “I apologize, Your Highness, but I’m in a hurry to be somewhere.”

Jaehyun exhaled loudly in frustration. “Fine,” He said bluntly, struggling to keep his desperate look off of his face. “I’m sorry I lied about who I was, but it wasn’t as if I could just tell you that I’m the Second Prince of Reinea.”

Still, Yuta didn’t move. His expression didn’t change in the slightest, face still impassive. Again, Jaehyun sighed.

“Yuta,” Jaehyun saw the other flinch at the use of his name. “I don’t understand what’s wrong.”

At his words, Yuta finally looked up. His eyes, which were once cold, now held a resemblance of the fire Jaehyun recognized from last time. Except now, instead of being filled with warmth as he once was, he felt intimidation overwhelm him.

“Of course you wouldn’t understand,” Yuta hissed, tone passionate and heated.  _”Jae.”_

Jaehyun could feel his frustration growing at Yuta’s words and he had to close his eyes to tamper it down. He didn’t understand why Yuta was reacting this way towards him, he didn’t know why it was such a big deal.

“Do you hate me that much for my secret?”

Yuta’s nostrils flared yet he refused to answer. Jaehyun shifted forward, their noses now almost touching. “Regardless of your feelings toward me, you had no right to tell Sooyoung.”

At his words, Yuta’s expression shifted from one of anger to confusion. “About what?” Realization passed over his face before he shook his head as if trying to clear his thoughts. “I never told anyone.”

Jaehyun studied the other’s face, and for a second and saw the sincerity that he recognized from when they had first met. Seeing that, brought him back down to where he was and to what he was doing. Who was he to corner Yuta like this, even if he was angry? Shame filled Jaehyun’s gut as he stepped back from Yuta, eyes downcast.

“I’m sorry, I don’t know why I automatically assumed you had told her,” Jaehyun sighed, hearing no response from the other. “Just, please don’t tell anyone about the other night, no one knows.”

As he raised his gaze he found that Yuta had returned to looking past Jaehyun, the passion that had filled his expression only moments ago was now carefully masked. Jaehyun studied Yuta’s face, for a hint that he had heard him. When he found nothing, he continued. “Please?”

Yuta slowly raised his gaze to meet Jaehyun’s once more. Jaehyun couldn’t believe that this man was the same one who had saved his life only days before. The kindness the other had shown him was gone, replaced with an emotion that veered on hatred.

“Don’t worry,” Yuta spoke, tone now calm as he moved past Jaehyun. “You don’t have to concern yourself with someone like me, I won’t bother you."

With those words, Yuta stalked off down the hall, leaving Jaehyun standing in the doorway wondering who he had just spoken to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> for anyone that’s wondering I pictured Jaehyun as he looked in poetic beauty and Yuta as he looked in cherry bomb era.


	4. Chapter 4

_ “Little Jae, don’t forget I love you.” _ _  
_ _  
_ _ Don’t go. Don’t go. Please don’t go. _ _  
_ _  
_ _ Warm brown eyes that matched his own; a beautiful smile that failed to conceal the pain written across her face. His mother clutched his hand between her own two as she said her final goodbye.  _ _  
_ _  
_ _ “Jae, forgive your father, please please forgive your father.” She begged and begged as Jaehyun cried and cried.  _ _  
_ _  
_ _ “One day you’ll see.” _ _  
_ _  
_ _ He couldn’t respond, all he could do was hold her hand tighter. _ _  
_ _  
_ _ Cool silver pressed into his hand, halting his crying only for a second. A ring, her ring, was in his palm. “For protection.” She whispered, smiling sadly as he slipped it on his finger and nodded through his tears. _ _  
_ _  
_ _ No, don’t go. Don’t go.  _ _  
_ _  
_ _ Slowly, her face shifted and her look of pain and sorrow melted away. Her face warped into one that possessed piercing eyes and sharp, unforgiving teeth. Her body twisted and twisted and lurched forward, and suddenly she was a snake. A snake staring him down; a snake slithering toward him. _ _  
_ _  
_ _ He opened his mouth, wanting to scream but found that he couldn’t. The snake came closer and closer until its’ eyes became level with his own. Its’ fangs shone brightly in the moonlight; they were all Jaehyun could focus on.  _ _  
_ _  
_ _ Wasting no more time, it bit down hard on his arm, just as it did to his mother. The same poison that had killed her, filled his own veins and his mouth hung open in a silent plea.  _ _  
_ _  
_ _ Don’t go. Please don’t go. _   
  
Jaehyun woke up panting. Sweat dripped down his forehead as he struggled to calm his racing heart. The nightmare that never goes away.   
  
Frustrated, he sat up and messily ran a hand through his matted hair. 

Everyone knew what happened to the Queen of Reinea. Everyone knew, yet no one ever spoke of it. To the public, she suddenly fell ill. To her husband, the King, she was a victim of a tragic accident. To Jaehyun, she was murdered.

Suddenly, the door to his room flew open and through it, ran Yukhei. He held his sword out before him, stance ready for an attack as he surveyed the room.    
  
“I heard screaming.”    
  
Jaehyun suppressed a sigh; Yukhei didn’t know how often he got nightmares yet, this was only his first time on night duty outside the Prince’s door.   
  
“It was nothing, just a nightmare.” Jaehyun said softly, feeling an embarrassed blush creep up onto his face.    
  
His throat burned from screaming.   
  
Yukhei blinked at him before lowering the sword. Now that Jaehyun didn’t have to worry about being run through by his guard, he took notice of Yukhei’s appearance.   
  
His eyes were red and his hair was disheveled, as if he had been running his hand through it constantly. It was obvious that he had been crying.   
  
“Are you,” Jaehyun started uncertainty. “Are you alright?”   
  
Yukhei rubbed his eyes quickly and immediately began to back up, eyes going wide.   
  
“Homesick,” He responded in a rough voice. “I’m just missing my family.”   
  
Jaehyun breathed a sigh of relief before giving the young guard a soft smile. “I know your off day is coming up, are you going to go visit them?”   
  
Yukhei simply hung his head. “No, it’s impossible to.”   
  
Jaehyun scrunched his nose in confusion; Yukhei probably meant that they lived out of the city. He made a mental note to ask Johnny if Yukhei could have an off week instead.    
  
Movement outside of the door startled both of them. Yukhei had begun to draw his sword before he relaxed again.   
  
“Shift change.”   
  
Jaehyun nodded as he suppressed a yawn. “Go sleep,” He smiled again, in a way that he hoped was comforting. “Dream about your family.”   
  
Yukhei returned his smile and gave a small bow before retreating, leaving Jaehyun alone with his thoughts.   
  
For a moment, Jaehyun debated getting up and walking through the palace like he often did when he couldn’t sleep, but he immediately dismissed the idea. Only Johnny let him do that and he knew the other wasn’t on night duty that night.   
  
Settling back down under his covers, he stared up at the ceiling and desperately tried to think of anything but his mother.   
  
Immediately, his mind supplied him with the image of Yuta; smiling and warm as he had been when they first met.    
  
Their recent encounter played over and over in his mind; the guilt of his angry confrontation filled him once again despite his efforts to ignore it. He had so easily assumed Yuta had told Sooyoung about the day they had met. Not usually one to get angry so easily, Jaehyun found himself confused with his actions.   
  
Yuta’s fiery eyes filled his mind; maybe Yuta just pulled Jaehyun’s own fiery side out. He wasn’t sure how he felt about that.   
  


  
  
\--   
  
  


  
Sweat trickled down Jaehyun’s face, his hair that had been tied up into a small bun now hung around his face in strands. Gritting his teeth, he clutched his sword tighter in his hand.   
  
“You call that a swing?”   
  
Across from him stood Johnny, who looked much better than Jaehyun did.    
  
They were sparring again; just as they did every day after lunch. However, this time they had no audience; Sicheng was away helping his brother.    
  
“I’m just warming up.” Jaehyun responded teasingly.   
  
Johnny raised an eyebrow at him and repositioned his stance. The pair continued their sparring in silence, with only the occasional noise from the birds around them.    
  
It was a clear sky; no clouds were in sight. Jaehyun found himself sad; he had gotten used to the rain that had been happening so frequently.    
  
Suddenly Kun’s voice filled the training grounds. “What are you two boys up to?”   
  
To Jaehyun’s surprise, Johnny let out a laugh and halted their sparring. The pair turned to see Kun and Yuta approaching their training platform.   
  
Jaehyun’s eyes locked on Yuta who was already looking at him. He hadn’t seen him since their encounter in the hall. The tailor was wearing his gray robe that highlighted his position in the palace. His hair was carefully tied up, only a few strands of his long black hair falling into his face neatly.    
  
Jaehyun felt his breath hitch; Yuta looked  _ good _ .   
  
The two stepped up onto the platform where Johnny and Jaehyun were standing. “You training?” Kun asked, looking at Jaehyun expectantly.   
  
He nodded in response, twirling his practice sword around in his hand as he struggled not to glance at Yuta.    
  
“Mind if we join?”    
  
Jaehyun startled at Yuta’s question, looking at the other in confusion before nodding again. “The more the merrier.”   
  
Johnny looked to be amused at their interaction. “How about you two give it a go?”   
  
His suggestion surprised Jaehyun; why would he want Yuta and him to spar?   
  
Before he could voice his confusion, Yuta had agreed; already moving to put on his practice armor.    
  
Jaehyun waited patiently as Johnny and Kun moved off of the platform to give them room.    
  
Once Yuta was ready, Johnny coughed and raised up his hand. “First one to get three hits in, wins.”   
  
Yuta narrowed his eyes at Jaehyun, falling into his ready stance. “Bring it.”   
  
Yuta fought well,  _ incredibly _ well for a tailor.    
  
He seemed to know Jaehyun’s next move every time, always dodging his swings easily. The other appeared to pick up on Jaehyun’s slight annoyance since he was smiling at the Prince mockingly.    
  
“What?” Yuta chuckled, his eyes shined with mirth. “Too used to people letting you win?”   
  
Jaehyun laughed before glancing at Johnny who was watching on in interest; he didn’t need for anyone to let him win.   
  
Jaehyun smirked at Yuta and then lunged right, aiming for his side. Yuta barely moved back in time before Jaehyun lunged again; this time, he lightly tapped Yuta’s shoulder.   
  
“Point Jaehyun.” Kun yelled from the sidelines   
  
Yuta looked frustrated as he glared Jaehyun down.    
  
“I win by my own skill.” Jaehyun stated calmly, smirk painted on his features.   
  
Above them, a bird started singing a beautiful song, not at all matching the mood. Jaehyun watched as Yuta adjusted his grip on his practice sword before moving in quickly in a flurry of movements. Jaehyun managed to dodge most attacks, yet he barely suppressed a groan when Yuta whacked him on the shoulder with a particularly hard hit.   
  
“Point Yuta.”   
  
Yuta smiled sweetly as he shifted back into his position. The place on Jaehyun’s shoulder where the other had hit him, throbbed slightly.   
  
“Well,” Yuta mused, never taking his eyes off of Jaehyun. “I’ve never been good at losing.”   
  
Johnny’s voice filled Jaehyun’s head, telling him that Yuta wasn’t as good at protecting his left side. He let his eyes travel down to Yuta’s leg.   
  
_ There. _ Yuta put slightly more weight on his right leg than he did his left.   
  
“You know,” Jaehyun mused as he inched to the right without Yuta noticing. “I’ve never met a tailor who could fight so well.”   
  
Yuta’s eyes darkened a bit before he laughed. “You don’t know anything about me,  _ Prince _ .”   
  
Jaehyun moved quickly; dropping down into a squat and kicking out his leg into Yuta’s left one. Yuta’s knees hit the ground hard and Jaehyun wasted no time in jumping to his feet and pointing his practice sword at Yuta’s chest.   
  
Silence filled the training grounds as the pair simply stared at each other. Yuta’s eyes burned with intensity, staring Jaehyun down in defiance.   
  
The world seemed to stop. Yuta’s hair had fallen down completely, the long black strands clinging to his face and neck.    
  
Yuta’s appeared as if he was in the same daze as Jaehyun. The fire that so often filled his eyes was still burning, dangerous as always. A fluttering feeling filled Jaehyun’s stomach, a sensation he found that he only felt around Yuta.   
  
Jaehyun’s eyes locked on a bead of sweat on Yuta’s face; falling down his cheekbone and stopping at his chin before dropping to the ground.   
  
“Point Jaehyun.”   
  
A hand clasped his shoulder, effectively breaking him out of his trance. His practice sword clattered to the ground, just in front of Yuta’s still kneeling form.   
  
“Good run you two,” Johnny said as he pulled Jaehyun off the platform. “Although neither of you really won, you only got two hits in.”   
  
Yuta got to his feet and wobbled slightly on his leg before catching himself. He turned and locked eyes with Jaehyun, giving him the smallest of smiles.

Jaehyun felt something in their weird acquaintance shift in that moment.

The fluttering feeling in his stomach begun to fade as Johnny continued talking to him. “Sorry, we had to stop it.”   
  
Jaehyun nodded absentmindedly, finally breaking his gaze from Yuta.   
  
“Don’t you have a meeting with the King and the Crown Prince?”   
  
Grimly, Jaehyun nodded again. He had forgotten.

He hadn’t seen his brother since their conversation in his room about the wedding. He was sure that he was going to get onto him about something.

Yuta and Kun had turned to look at them; seeming interested in their conversation. Their expression was curious; Kun knew how little Jaehyun and his family interacted, while Yuta was probably just attempting to seem polite.   
  
Jaehyun sighed and gestured for Johnny to follow him. “Wish me luck.” He turned to Yuta and grinned before taking off toward the palace to meet his fate.   
  
  
  
\--   
  
  
  
As he entered the throne room, he took notice of how little people were in there. Besides him and the Crown Prince who stood alone by the throne, there were only a few guards.   
  
Vaguely, he registered Johnny stopping behind him, stationing himself at the door as Jaehyun walked ahead. 

As he approached Jun, the other didn’t turn to him; instead, he stayed facing the throne. 

Jaehyun stopped just behind his brother and cleared his throat. “Crown Prince.”   
  
Still, he didn’t move. Nervous, Jaehyun shifted from foot to foot as he waited. His eyes traveled to the throne that sat just before him.   
  
It was a beautiful throne; made of dark wood and plush, red fabric that was draped across it. There were small carvings made all over it that were outlined in silver; some of it was words, some were pictures. Jaehyun knew from observing it carefully during his childhood, that it was the history of Reinea.   
  
“Odd isn’t it?”   
  
Jaehyun jumped at his brother’s sudden words. Jun let out a dull and hollow chuckle. “So many would fight to the death for this throne.”   
  
The Crown Prince finally turned around but his eyes were glassy; like he wasn’t even there. Wearily, Jaehyun observed him. His brother looked completely drained of energy; his skin pale and body weak.   
  
Jun continued to stare through him as he swayed a little on his feet. Cautiously, Jaehyun raised a hand to hover near his arm, ready to catch him.   
  
It was a curious thing, the Crown Prince’s health. Some days he looked the perfect model of what a ruler should be in Reinea; body strong and face stern. Other days, he would appear impossibly frail.   
  
The subject of his health was a subject no one in the palace ever brought up. Jaehyun had always said that it was the stress of his brother’s position; his unwillingness to show humanity catching up to him. Sicheng always thought that was funny.   
  
“Come.” The Crown Prince gestured for Jaehyun with his hand. “Sit.”   
  
He was pointing at the throne. Jaehyun looked on in confusion, brow furrowing. “What?”   
  
Jun appeared annoyed as he stepped down from where he had been standing on the steps. The five steps that lead up to the throne were covered in the same red material that was draped over the throne. Each step represented one of the five kingdoms.   
  
“Sit.” The Crown Prince repeated as he took another step forward.   
  
Jaehyun shook his head. “I’m not going to sit there.”   
  
Sitting on the throne was only meant for the King of Reinea; something Jaehyun wasn’t and would never be.   
  
His brother tilted his head like a confused animal. “I don’t understand.”   
  
The urge to laugh filled Jaehyun;  _ he _ was the one that didn’t understand.   
  
“You,” Jun said pointedly as he gestured toward him again. “Don’t want the throne?”   
  
Panic began to slowly trickle into Jaehyun’s mind but he suppressed it; now was not the time. 

Slowly, he lowered his arm that had still be raised. “No, Your Highness. You are the Crown Prince.”

Behind him, he could hear the guards shifting uncomfortably, desperately wishing to leave. Jaehyun felt the same way.   
  
Anger displayed across Jun’s face. “How could you not?” He clasped his hands together like he would if he were begging for something. “You’ve never expressed interest, why is that?”   
  
The tone he was using sounded as if he was desperate for an answer; as if he had been constantly thinking about this.   
  
“It’s not in my destiny, brother.” Jaehyun calmly exhaled and took a small step toward him. “You are to be King and I know this.”   
  
His brother looked as if he didn’t believe him; but Jaehyun supposed as long as he didn’t try to kill him, it didn’t really matter. Sure, Jaehyun held bitterness toward his brother, but that had very little to do with the throne and everything to do with their father. Their father who had always preferred Jun over him; their father who he had to forgive because it was his mother’s dying wish.   
  
Suddenly, the doors slammed open, creating a thunder-like noise that rumbled through the room. Jaehyun turned in surprise, hand placed over his racing heart.    
  
Through the doorway came a procession of guards, all dressed in dark red robes and chest plates that proudly displayed the seal of Reinea. Yet, instead of the solid red robes with the silver lining that Johnny and Yukhei wore, there was gold lining. The seal that was also normally outlined in silver was gold.   
  
Jaehyun sighed. The King’s guard.   
  
They marched into the room in a group of fifteen, all of them spaced perfectly apart. However, in the middle there was a figure that was hunched over, obviously being dragged along. Immediately, Jaehyun stiffened; he knew what this was.   
  
Directly behind the guard, marched the general; the same general who had rushed into the throne room just days prior when the Lilla royals had been talking to his father.    
  
A shiver ran through Jaehyun as he stepped back to allow the general to approach the empty throne. She stopped just in front of the steps and kneeled as if the King was sitting on the throne.    
  
Silence enveloped the room, only the soft groans of whoever was being dragged by the guards could be heard. Everyone was still; Jaehyun found himself unable to move as they waited. He caught Johnny’s eye who seemed to be struggling to hide his worry at the situation.   
  
Finally, the King walked calmly through the doors, a smile spread wide across his face. No one moved as he made his way to the throne, passing by Jaehyun without even a glance and moving up the steps. He briefly patted the general on the back before walking past her and sitting on the throne.   
  
“You’ve brought me a present?”   
  
The room remained silent as the general raised her head to look at the King. She gestured behind her quickly and a pair of guards moved forward, dragging the chained person through the other guards.   
  
Beside him, the Crown Prince shifted forward. Jaehyun glanced sideways at his brother, noticing that he no longer looked so sickly.   
  
A particularly loud groan from the prisoner brought Jaehyun’s attention away from Jun and back to the situation.    
  
Finally, the pair of guards broke through the mass of other guards and Jaehyun could get a good look at who they were dragging.   
  
Whoever it was, their head was hanging down as if their neck was too weak to hold it up. Light brown hair fell over their face in a matted mess, obscuring their features from Jaehyun’s vision. Their body was weak as if they had been deprived of food or nutrition for weeks.   
  
Jaehyun’s heart clenched as the prisoner let out a particularly loud moan, full of pain and brokenness.   
  
The guards dropped the prisoner onto the ground, just beside the general who had now risen from her kneel. She walked around the prisoner as if pondering over something before she suddenly grabbed their hair and yanked their head up so that they were forced to look at the King.   
  
The prisoner was just a boy, a young teenager; Jaehyun could tell from the baby fat that still clung to his cheeks. He was handsome, despite the dirt that dotted his face. His soft features were drawn up into a grimace; eyes wild and scared as they darted back and forth around the room.   
  
One look at his father told Jaehyun that the other was absolutely delighted.   
  
“This,” The general began, shaking the prisoner's head a little. “Shouldn’t take long.”   
  
The state of the prisoner told Jaehyun that he wasn’t newly captured; he appeared to have been in the cells below the palace for at least a couple days. Why the general had brought him back up to see the King was lost on Jaehyun.   
  
“Jungwoo Kim,” The prisoner groaned quietly in acknowledgment. “Do you know why you’re here?”   
  
Jaehyun watched as the prisoner, Jungwoo, struggled to talk. He opened and closed his mouth slowly as if he was unsure of how to use his voice.   
  
“You were arrested a week ago for the illegal use of magic within the kingdom of Reinea.” Jaehyun’s stomach dropped, he had been hoping that hadn’t been the case. “On top of this, you resisted arrest and attempted to flee.”   
  
Jaehyun thought he saw his father’s eyes glance in his direction before he continued speaking. “After further investigation, we have determined you guilty of illegally possessing magical abilities and using them.”   
  
At the King’s words, Jungwoo shut his eyes briefly as if to regroup himself.    
  
Jaehyun took a step forward; he didn’t know what he was going to do, intervene maybe. Suddenly, his mother’s words rang through his head.  _ Forgive your father _ .   
  
Clenching his fist, Jaehyun moved back to his place. He forced himself to think past his emotions; maybe this prisoner had seriously hurt someone with his magic since that was often the case. It was likely that Jungwoo was a criminal; most magic bloods were.

“Oh it’s a pity that the Lilla royals aren’t here to see this,” The King thought out loud to himself. “Would’ve been a nice welcome for Princess Sooyoung.”

Jaehyun shivered, he was glad that Sooyoung was busy today with her dress fitting. This would’ve wrecked her.

His father continued, turning his attention back to the prisoner. “We searched your home.” Jungwoo’s eyes flew open instantly.   
  
“We found something interesting, didn’t we?” The King waved his hand. “Jun.”   
  
Beside him, the Crown Prince jumped to attention. The King looked on expectantly as Jun moved forward, to the prisoner. Jaehyun had never been happier to be ignored.   
  
Jun stopped at the base of the throne and turned to face Jungwoo as he shuffled around in his robes, obviously looking for something.   
  
From his robes, he pulled out a small locket that fit perfectly in his hand. Immediately, Jungwoo reacted. His eyes became so wide that they seemed as if they would pop out of his head. Frantically, he tried to shift away from the locket but the general’s hold on his hair prevented him from doing so.   
  
The King laughed mercilessly, obviously excited. “Good, you recognize it.”   
  
A sick feeling began to rise within Jaehyun’s gut at the look of pure terror that painted Jungwoo’s face.   
  
“A curious thing, this locket.” His brother mused, turning it over in his hands. “We found it hidden under a plank in your house.”   
  
Jungwoo had stopped struggling; instead, he opted to focus his desperate gaze on the Crown Prince.   
  
Jun held up the locket. It was a small gold thing; about two inches wide and one inch long. There were engravings all over it; all of them were outlined in silver just as the throne was.    
  
“Why would you hide such a simple thing, Jungwoo?” The Crown Prince asked in a taunting tone.   
  
Jungwoo refused to answer, his terrified gaze had turned defiant as he stared Jun down. Jaehyun felt admiration at his bravery.   
  
The King laughed lightly and shifted in his throne before speaking again. “It’s interesting though,” Jungwoo exhaled heavily. “It doesn’t seem to open.”   
  
Jaehyun felt his stomach drop at the look that filled his brother’s eyes. It was a look of determination.   
  
“What do you think, Second Prince?”   
  
At being addressed, Jaehyun felt his stomach twist in knots; he wished he could leave. Never taking his eyes off of Jungwoo, he slowly moved forward. His father looked down at him expectantly; this was his chance to give his input.   
  
He struggled within himself; he could say what he knew Jun would say and impress his father or he could do what he believed was morally right and defend Jungwoo. A small voice in his head whispered that Jungwoo had most likely hurt someone. He was guilty of magic use; the only way the King discovered those who had magic blood was when their powers were publically displayed. When this happened, they almost always hurt someone.   
  
A glance down at Jungwoo told him there was likely no saving the other. His internal debate tore through him and he looked up to see his brother watching him with a smirk on his face.   
  
Carefully, Jaehyun opened his mouth and responded. “I think we should proceed with caution; it’s very likely that it could just simply be a harmlessly charmed locket.”   
  
His father looked at him curiously, thinking over his words. Silence filled the hall.   
  
Jungwoo’s eyes had moved from Jun to Jaehyun and he shifted uncomfortably under the prisoner’s gaze.   
  
“Sound advice Jaehyun,” The Crown Prince sneered in the silence. “But you must know that no magic is  _ harmless _ .”   
  
The King held his hand up, eyes never leaving Jaehyun. “Don’t taunt your brother. Jaehyun is less experienced in the area of magic, my fault really.” Jaehyun nervously begun to play with his ring. “I let you spend too much time with your mother.”   
  
Jaehyun jolted at the mention of his mother and the King smiled. “You may not be the Crown Prince but I should have shown you more of who the magic blooded folk are and how to deal with them.” He glanced down at Jungwoo. “Perhaps now is a good time to learn; observe.”   
  
Jaehyun stayed still as his father gestured for the Crown Prince to continue. He glanced at Jungwoo and found that the other was still staring at him, eyes open and pleading. The war within Jaehyun raged on; Jungwoo was so obviously asking him for help.   
  
“Here’s what we do,” Jun said, moving to Jungwoo’s crumpled form quickly. “Open it.”   
  
The order seemed to go unheard by Jungwoo who simply moved his gaze from Jaehyun and back to his brother.   
  
A look of frustration passed over the Crown Prince’s face briefly before he wickedly smiled. “General, hold him firmly.”   
  
Suddenly, he surged forward and grasped Jungwoo’s arm. The prisoner yelled and attempted to pull away but one jerk from the hand in his hair and he was forced back.   
  
Jun twisted Jungwoo’s arm over and immediately placed the locket into his open hand. Jungwoo screamed as if he was burned.   
  
Victorious, the Crown Prince wrapped his hand around Jungwoo’s, forcing the locket to stay in the prisoner's hand.   
  
“My King.” He called, gaze locked on whatever was in the locket as it opened slowly.   
  
His father ascended the throne and approached Jungwoo’s form. A sob escaped from the prisoner as he struggled to move away.   
  
Jaehyun fought back the urge to scream as his father laughed. “Of course.” The King turned to Jaehyun, eyes full of amusement and something darker that made his skin crawl. “Come see.”   
  
Jaehyun forced his feet to move forward as he struggled to maintain his blank expression. Avoiding Jungwoo’s teary eyes, he looked down at what the locket held.   
  
Inside, was a bird. Its’ wings were spread out as if it was in flight, and its’ entire form seemed to be engulfed in flames. The image appeared to be burned onto the locket.    
  
Jaehyun felt bile rise in his throat as he recognized just what bird that was. The memory of a woman being dragged in eleven years ago, just as Jungwoo had been, filled his memory. The death, the massacre of magic blooded people that had followed that day flashed through his mind. The countless number of prisoners brought to the palace, trapped in the cells.   
  
Numerous emotions swept through Jaehyun; all were too much for him to attempt to understand.   
  
The Crown Prince clapped lightly to himself; as if the scene was purely made for his entertainment.   
  
Another sob left Jungwoo as the general dragged him up. His brother ripped the locket from Jungwoo’s grasp, and it immediately snapped shut at the loss of contact. Yet it didn’t matter, they had all already seen it.   
  
Jaehyun could vaguely hear the general questioning Jungwoo about the locket; where he got it, why he hid it, what it meant. But everyone in the room knew what the image of the bird in the locket meant. Everyone knew what it meant to the kingdom of Reinea.    
  
It was a symbol of hope and acceptance, freedom for magic blooded people. It was a symbol of defiance and a perfect opportunity to hunt down those people for the King and the Crown Prince.    
  
It was a symbol of the rebellion that had supposedly died eleven years ago. The fight that had supposedly ended with so much bloodshed and agony. Jaehyun thought that it was over, but this locket was a clear indication that he had been wrong.   
  
The Phoenix was rising again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wooo the main plot is coming !  
> happy valentines AND jaehyun day!!!


	5. 5

Frantically, Jaehyun attempted to fight against the force that was pulling him down the hallway. The grip that Johnny had around his wrist was bruising but needed. Jaehyun’s body struggled against Johnny’s strength as the other easily dragged him away from the throne room.

He had been kicked out. Again.

As soon as the prisoner, Jungwoo, had been taken back down to the underground prison, his father, brother, and the general had begun a strategy meeting. One he wasn’t welcome in. Jaehyun couldn’t decide what his feelings on not being welcomed to those meetings were. On one hand, he was relieved, he didn’t want to hear the plan they would be discussing on how to murder the members of the Phoenix. On the other hand, he was hurt that his father didn’t deem him worthy enough to stay. As always.

“Jae, come on,” Johnny grunted as he tried to walk faster. “You don’t want to be in there anyway.”

Jaehyun resisted the urge to snarl; he knew he already looked extremely not princely, and he didn't want to lose all of his dignity.

At that moment, Yuta and Sicheng turned the corner, both stopping short when they saw the scene in front of them: the Second Prince of Reinea being manhandled by his guard. Yuta seemed as if he didn’t know what to think; Jaehyun was becoming used to the confused look that was always on the tailor’s face when he was around him. It was better than the alternative look of hatred.

Seeing the two of them together made Jaehyun stop struggling. Since when had they been getting along? Something ugly swirled in the pit of Jaehyun’s stomach; he really didn’t want to analyze that. Instead, he yanked his wrist from Johnny’s grip and straightened out his robes, trying his best to appear like the prince he was.

“What’s going on?” Sicheng asked, head tilted to the side slightly.

At Sicheng’s words, Yuta seemed to remember to fix his expression; his confusion had melted away, and now the other simply gazed on as if Jaehyun was beneath him. Jaehyun’s eyes raked over Yuta’s appearance. Once again, he wore the grey robes, but underneath, Jaehyun could see a flash of orange. Yuta’s hair was completely down, hanging loosely off his shoulders and tucked behind his ears.

Johnny’s voice broke his daydreaming. “The meeting’s over.”

Jaehyun snorted and ran a hand through his now very messy hair. “No, it’s not. I was just dismissed again.”

Understanding dawned on Sicheng’s face and he immediately moved forward. Yuta’s impassive expression held, yet Jaehyun thought he saw a hint of confusion creep back up.

Sicheng gently laid his hand on Jaehyun’s shoulder, “Come on,” He said softly. “Why don’t you come to help me get medicine from Yixing’s storage closet?”

Suddenly, Sooyoung and her parents turned the corner, looking as if they were headed for the throne room. Jaehyun barely stopped himself from audibly sighing, he did not want to deal with them.

Upon seeing Jaehyun, the Queen of Lilla smiled and nudged Sooyoung toward him. “Perfect,” She said, glancing at the throne room. “Prince Jaehyun, will you keep my daughter occupied while I meet with the Crown Prince?”

Sooyoung furrowed her brow in immediate frustration. “The message said I could attend the meeting as well.”

The Queen tsked at her as if she was a small child who was throwing an unnecessary fit. “There’s really no reason for you to be there." She smoothed out Sooyoung's hair. "Very important stuff for our kingdoms.”

Jaehyun shivered as Jungwoo’s broken eyes flashed in his mind. Sooyoung looked as if she wanted to argue more but a stern look from the Lilla King silenced her protests. She quickly moved to stand next to Sicheng and her mother clapped her hands enthusiastically. “Lovely,” She moved away, long dress trailing behind her. “See you later, dear.”

With that, she and the Lilla King had disappeared into the throne room, leaving their daughter behind. The group stood in silence for a moment before Sooyoung huffed and looked up from her feet. “I don’t know why I expected anything different.”

Sympathy filled Jaehyun and he reached forward to her. “You don’t want to be in there, trust me.”

At his words, Johnny made an affirmative noise, causing the three who hadn’t been in the room, Yuta included, to look at him in confusion. Jaehyun shook his head, this wasn’t something to talk about in the hallway. He glanced at Yuta whose eyes were glued to Johnny; he didn’t need to hear what had happened anyway.

“We were just leaving,” Jaehyun said quickly to Sooyoung, gesturing to himself and Sicheng. “Would you like to come with us?”

Sooyoung smiled gratefully, yet she still appeared to be put out. “If you don’t mind, I would love to.”

Jaehyun returned her smile before turning to nod at Johnny and Yuta. Yuta’s eyes had sharpened and his gaze had turned glaring toward him. Jaehyun resisted the urge to sigh; now what had he done to piss Yuta off?

“Don’t worry,” Sicheng called over his shoulder at Johnny as the trio walked away. “I’ll protect them.”

Jaehyun snorted at that, he knew another member of his guard was probably already tailing them.

 

\---

 

“It’s back?”

The three of them were sitting in Yixing’s workroom, each carefully sorting through the supplies of medicines.

Jaehyun nodded slowly at Sicheng's words, causing the other’s astonished expression to grow.

Sooyoung, on the other hand, was lost. “I’m sorry,” She said slowly, holding her hands up. “But what exactly is this Phoenix and what do you mean it’s _back_.”

Jaehyun sighed; since Sooyoung was from Lilla, there was no way she would know what the Phoenix was like he and Sicheng did.

The lights in the room flickered briefly, something that happened a lot in the small, underground room. Around them were tables full of different herbs and medicines that Yixing used, all bottled in multi-colored glasses. The shelves that lined the walls were similarly looking; the room had always had too much stuff in it but Yixing had never minded.

Jaehyun looked over at Sicheng, his face had grown pale as he looked down at his lap as if he was unsure how to feel.

“Look,” Jaehyun said, directing his words to his best friend. “I don’t know how big they’ve gotten, it may just be a few people this time.”

Still, Sicheng didn’t respond. Sooyoung moved her chair forward, her gaze never leaving Jaehyun.

“It started around the time Jaehyun’s father declared magic illegal,” Sicheng said softly, looking up briefly at Sooyoung who nodded in response. “Of course there was resistance to this, Reinea once had many magic blooded people living here.”

Jaehyun nodded along with Sicheng’s words. While his father’s declaration had been expected; he had been building up to it for years, it still hadn’t been entirely welcome. People who possessed magic hated the idea of it being illegal, there had been numerous riots and campaigns against it.

Sicheng continued his narration, Sooyoung’s attention was entirely on him. “Eventually, the magic blooded people who refused to leave Reinea came together to form a rebellion. For the first few years, it was unnamed and mostly unorganized. Then, a man emerged with these incredible magical abilities and united all of the magic blooded people who wanted to rebel. There were rumors of the extent of his powers, some say that he could conjure up fire with just a flick of his wrist.”

As he spoke, Sicheng began to sort through the medicine bottles on the table, carefully checking each label and putting the ones that Yixing needed in the small basket it had brought with him. He paused in his story to relabel a specific red bottle. Sooyoung shifted impatiently in her seat but remained silent.

“They called him the Prince of the Phoenix, and the name of the rebellion, The Phoenix, was born. The people who supported the rebellion started seeing him as the ruler before the King of Reinea. For years, this was this case. The Phoenix grew and staged violent attacks against the palace and the King’s guard.”

Careful not to disrupt Sicheng's story, Jaehyun moved forward to the table and started to help find the medicine his friend’s brother needed. The dusty stool he sat on wobbled under his weight, threatening to break.

“After a while, the Prince of the Phoenix was caught," Sicheng said bluntly. "The King’s guard had tracked him down to a safe house on the outskirts of Reinea land. With him, had been other founders of the rebellion and his wife.”

Jaehyun closed his eyes as the memory from when he was eleven resurfaced. He still remembered the day the wife of the Prince of the Phoenix had been brought into the palace, the day his father had forced him and his mother to watch as she sobbed pitifully on the floor. She had been the only survivor from the safe house.

“I remember watching the King’s guard bring in magic blooded people into the palace every day. They were always wearing those cuffs that prevented their magic from being used.” Sicheng’s voice wobbled. “Day after day people were brought in and imprisoned, sometimes even tortured.”

Silence filled the room at his words, the only thing that could be heard was the clinking of the small medicine bottles being moved around. Jaehyun shifted on his stool and lightly hit his knee on the underside of the table, causing all of the bottles to shake slightly.

“Then what?” Sooyoung asked quietly, eyes trained on the medicine bottles.

Sicheng set down a large, pale yellow bottle into the basket and looked up. “Then, the Phoenix died. The King’s guard tracked down most of the members and either arrested them or killed them on the spot.”

Those days had been like a nightmare. Jaehyun shivered, the screams of the prisoners echoed in his head as they had once echoed through the palace halls years ago. In a way, Jaehyun believed that those days were a big reason his mother couldn’t survive her sudden 'sickness'; the sadness that tainted the palace had prevented her from even trying to recover.

“But Jaehyun just said that the Phoenix was back.” Sooyoung said, a confused lift in her voice.

Jaehyun nodded, his throat felt dry. “Back during the earlier days of the Phoenix, every higher ranking member of the rebellion carried a golden locket that could only be opened by the touch of a Phoenix member. The purpose of it was so the members could recognize each other, and know who was with them and who was against them. They stopped using them after a while when the Phoenix grew too big.”

The information had never been directly shared with him, it was something he had heard from the servants whispering and the nobles gossiping to him about the beautiful lockets. As he was eleven at the time of the Phoenix's fall, he was left out of all meetings and knowledge regarding them. Although, at the age of twenty-two, it looked like nothing had changed.

He cleared his throat and looked back down at his hands, twisted together. Images of Jungwoo bound and kneeling on the ground flashed through his mind. His pleading gaze pierced Jaehyun’s conscious. “Today a prisoner was brought in and my family,” Jaehyun coughed a little before looking back up. “The Reinea King and Crown Prince made him open a locket; the same locket that the Phoenix members used to carry. They had found it in the prisoner’s home.”

Looking over at his best friend, he saw the other looked as if he was going to throw up.

Sooyoung, on the other hand, seemed even more intrigued. “So,” She started, leaning back against the table. “The rebellion, this Phoenix, is back? Why now?”

Jaehyun shrugged, attempting to play off just how much the Phoenix coming back mattered. “No idea. I had thought all of the magic bloods had left Reinea or been killed.”

Sooyoung seemed taken back by that. “You _kill_ people who use magic?”

At her words, Jaehyun looked up sharply, a sinking feeling filled his stomach. “ _I_ don’t kill anyone.” He snapped, but it was too late, guilt was already overwhelming him.

Sooyoung looked uncomfortable. “I didn’t mean you specifically,” She glanced at Sicheng as if he would help her but he was only glaring at the floor. “I just, your family. Your father does.”

Jaehyun opened his mouth to respond but Sicheng’s raspy voice cut him off. “Jae doesn’t particularly get a say in anything around here.” At his best friend’s words, Jaehyun flinched even though he knew them to be true. “The one doing the killing now would be your betrothed.”

Sooyoung expression was unreadable. “In Lilla, magic has been banned for so long that we haven’t had to worry about rebellions or anything for centuries.” She glanced up at them. “Even when we found magic users, they were always only banished, never killed.”

Of course they weren’t killed in Lilla, Reinea was the only kingdom to act so viciously toward people with magic blood. Jaehyun bitterly thought of his father’s blinding hatred for magic, he knew something had to drive that emotion yet he didn’t know what.

“Then what do you think of magic, Prince?”

Sooyoung’s words caused Jaehyun to jerk up in surprise. Such questions were never asked in Reinea anymore, especially not to him. Nervously, he glanced around the small room, wary of anyone overhearing.

“That’s a dangerous question, Princess.” Sicheng answered coldly, stopping his process of moving the bottles.

Sooyoung paid no attention to him, her gaze instead stayed locked on Jaehyun. “No one is here but us, just answer me.”

Jaehyun felt unsettled as if there was a heavy storm raging within his stomach. The question was one he refused to dwell on; whenever it arose within his mind, he simply answered it with the automated response that his father had drilled into his head. Don’t trust magic, don’t trust magic blooded people, and all magic is dangerously cruel. He was prepared to recite the words to Sooyoung but something held him back.

Before he could stop himself, his mind wandered to Jungwoo, broken and helpless in the throne room. Then his thoughts went to the wife of the Prince of Phoenix, sobbing for the loss of her family so many years ago. His mother took over his thoughts next, she had never once spoken anything against magic. Jaehyun never let himself actively think about if magic should be illegal or about what he thought about magic.

Yet, he had always unconsciously had an opinion toward it. It showed itself when he had desperately wanted to aid Jungwoo in the throne room. And again when he had been in awe of his mother’s stories about the magic that used to fill the land of Reinea. And another time in his disgust at his father’s hateful actions and words toward magic. His father whom his mother had asked him to forgive with her dying breath. 

The urge to scream filled Jaehyun. What did he think about magic? Two sides of him raged against each other. He was the Second Prince of Reinea, the son of the man who vehemently hated magic and all who used it. Yet, he was his mother’s son before all; a woman who had always openly opposed the ruling against magic.

Yes, those were the thoughts of his _parents_ , but what did _Jaehyun_ think about magic?

“Jae.”

Jaehyun looked up quickly at the face of his best friend who was hovering over him with a concerned look painted on his face. He suddenly became aware of the tears streaming down his face, of Sooyoung’s concerned and guilty expression.

“Come on,” Sicheng said softly, offering him his hand. “Let’s go up to your room.”

Jaehyun nodded and allowed Sicheng to help him up. The other pulled him softly out of the room as Sooyoung trailed behind them.

“I’m sorry,” Sooyoung said quickly, eyes downcast. “I didn’t mean to.”

One look from Sicheng made her go quiet and Jaehyun immediately felt bad for her.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, alright?” Jaehyun said softly, offering her a small smile.

Sooyoung nodded at him, her perfectly set hair not moving at all from the motion, and left, walking off toward her chambers.

Sicheng sighed from beside him and took his hand. Jaehyun felt small and childish for crying in front of the Lilla Princess. The voices in his head had quieted but the battle within him still raged, awoken by such a simple question.

Jaehyun didn’t know what he thought about magic. All he knew is that he wanted to help Jungwoo. He didn’t think people should be killed for possessing magic abilities and he didn’t think that they should be locked up for life. But one thing he had always known was that magic was dangerous. People didn’t know how to control it, they always ended up hurting people around them. Even his mother had admitted to the danger of being around untrained magic blooded people. According to the gossip of the palace, it had been a severe problem before Jaehyun's birth.

He shook his head quickly to clear his thoughts and turned his attention to his best friend in hopes of distracting himself. “What were you doing with Yuta earlier?” He asked quickly, voice deeper than usual.

Sicheng raised his eyebrow and grinned. “I had my fitting for the wedding.” Jaehyun nodded in understanding. “You also have yours today I think.”

The reminder surprised him. Honestly, Jaehyun had forgotten that being fitted for what he was to wear for the wedding was something that needed to be done. That meant he would be spending alone time with Yuta and a sharp needle. Great.

“Yuta’s pretty cool,” Sicheng said. “A little odd though.”

At that, Jaehyun tilted his head in question. “What do you mean?”

“Any mention of you and he gets all stiff and alert. It’s so peculiar.”

Jaehyun immediately groaned. “He hates me.”

Sicheng laughed and shook his head. The pair turned into a busy hallway, full of decorations being transported to the ballroom. Jaehyun smiled at the servants he passed, making sure his hair hid as much of the tear streaks on his face as possible. He really didn’t want word to get out that he had been crying.

Once they had passed through, Sicheng spoke up. “I don’t think he does.” He giggled to himself. “If anything, I would say that he’s attracted to you.”

Jaehyun felt as if the air had been punched out of his chest. Yuta, beautifully dangerous Yuta, attracted to him? He resisted the urge to laugh in Sicheng’s face. Instead, he shook his head; there was no way Yuta felt anything for him but hatred.

Still, warmth filled his cheeks as he thought of Yuta’s kindness toward him when they had met. His mind wandered to when they had spared together and the bright smile Yuta had given him. But just as his mind had conjured up those memories, the coldness of Yuta’s glare once again filled his mind and left him confused. No, Jaehyun thought, there was nothing Yuta felt for him but hatred.

 

\---

 

“I swear you are trying to stab me.”

He was in Yuta’s chambers, getting fitted for the clothes he would wear for the wedding. The room seemed transformed from what it had looked like before Yuta had arrived. Multi-colored fabrics were draped everywhere, over the back of the furniture, on the tables, even across the floor. Yuta’s materials were strewn all over the biggest table which had been moved into the room per his request. Jaehyun thought the room resembled Yuta’s shop in town a bit.

Yuta looked over his shoulder as he turned his back to Jaehyun to pick up more pins. “Why would I ever do such a thing, Prince?” 

Jaehyun resisted the urge to groan. He had been in Yuta’s chambers for about an hour and Yuta had managed to lightly prick him with a needle over twenty times.

“I have to make sure your clothes are perfect, you are the Second Prince after all.” Yuta continued, moving back toward where Jaehyun was standing in the center of the room.

Jaehyun had some silver fabric draped over his left shoulder, held there by a pin that had pricked his skin when Yuta had put it there. Yuta’s brow was furrowed as he held up a long piece of orange fabric and shook his head. He stuck a pin in his mouth and moved to pick up another piece of fabric. The tailor had put his hair up so that it was out of the way; only a few strands fell over his face which he blew at in frustration every few minutes. Jaehyun desperately wanted to tuck them behind his ear.

“I’m just glad I was allowed to design the outfits myself,” Yuta muttered as he held up a deep blue piece of fabric. “Although the silver throws everything off a bit.”

Jaehyun stayed silent, knowing that the tailor wasn’t talking to him at all.

He glanced down at the silver fabric that was already on him. It was tradition for Reinea royals to wear silver. It was the color of everyone in the royal family but the King, whose color was gold. Personally, Jaehyun preferred silver to gold anyway.

Yuta moved back to him and placed the blue fabric on his other shoulder before taking a step back to look at it. His tongue peeked out of his mouth in concentration and Jaehyun resisted the urge to call him cute. He would definitely not appreciate that.

“Yes,” Yuta muttered to himself. “Blue suits best.”

Against his will, a blush rose to Jaehyun’s cheeks at the tailor’s words.

“Alright,” Yuta clapped his hands together softly. “Blue it is.”

Over the next few minutes, Yuta worked to pin the fabric up around Jaehyun’s body, taking note of the length of his arms and size of his torso.

He reached forward and wrapped a long piece of fabric around Jaehyun’s chest, bringing their faces very close. Yuta seemed unaware of the proximity they were in, focused mostly on pinning the fabric down on Jaehyun’s side.

The tailor let out a breath which tickled Jaehyun’s neck and caused him to shiver. At the sudden movement, Yuta looked up and seemed to become aware of their position. While they were the same height, Yuta had bent down slightly to look at the fabric now wrapped around Jaehyun’s chest. That meant, in order to make eye contact, Yuta was stretching his neck and tilting his head up. 

For a long moment, they simply stared at each other. Jaehyun could feel his own heartbeat thumping loudly in his chest, filling his senses. He was sure that Yuta could hear it as well, especially since the other's chin was almost resting on Jaehyun's chest.

Suddenly, Yuta coughed and took a step back. His eyes were downcast as he moved to the big table of fabrics. 

“I’m almost done.” He said, voice sounding strained. “Then you’ll be good to go.”

Unable to speak, Jaehyun just hummed in response as his heartbeat calmed down.

Yuta shuffled things around on his table before returning to Jaehyun’s side and beginning to unpin all of the fabric that hung on his body. Before he did, he made sure to mark each place he had pinned it. Jaehyun watched in silence, wincing when Yuta stuck him with one of the pins.

“How do you even manage to stab me when you take them out?”

Yuta grinned wickedly but didn’t respond, not looking up from what he was doing.

Jaehyun would never admit it out loud, but being there with Yuta was helping his mind from wandering to the conversation he had with Sooyoung and Sicheng earlier. The distraction of watching Yuta work blocked out his thoughts of Jungwoo and the Phoenix.

The fabric lightly fell to the ground as Yuta worked, pooling around Jaehyun’s form until he was left in the thin white shirt and pants he had been wearing underneath. Carefully, Yuta bent down to collect the fabric. He seemed to be avoiding Jaehyun’s eyes as he worked, obviously not wanting to talk to him.

Jaehyun looked around the room again, not wanting to make Yuta uncomfortable by forcing conversation. His eyes swept over the countless number of fabrics and supplies. He smiled softly at the mess around him but said nothing. 

Looking over at Yuta, he saw the other was distracted at the table again. He sighed and begun to wander the room, carefully stepping over the fabric laid out. He observed the deep colors of each fabric, the eccentric red and cool silver. His eyes landed on the color of blue that Yuta had put on him. The color was always one of his favorites, it reminded him of water and home.

He lifted up the fabric to take a closer look, causing it to ripple a bit just as water would. There was a lake on the northern side of the palace, just outside the walls, that Jaehyun loved to visit. The blue of the fabric resembled the lake in his mind. 

He moved to set the fabric back on the table before noticing something that had been hidden underneath; a letter. Curious, Jaehyun observed the letter which was folded up and had no writing on the outside but the name ‘Taeyong’ written with a delicate hand.

Taeyong. Jaehyun didn’t know of anyone that possessed the name. He frowned as he went through his memory but came up blank.

“Hey Yuta,” He started before he could stop himself. “Who’s Taeyong?”

The sound of fabric being dropped captured Jaehyun’s attention away from the letter and he turned to see Yuta staring at him with a bewildered look on his face.

“What?”

Jaehyun suddenly realized too late what he had asked, and how invasive his question might be. He quickly attempted to backtrack. 

“I mean,” He stuttered, moving away from the letter and putting down the blue fabric. “That letter has the name Taeyong on it is all.”

Yuta’s expression darkened as he begun to move toward Jaehyun.

“I didn’t read it,” Jaehyun hurried to say as Yuta approached. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be nosy.”

Yuta reached the table and snatched up the letter, shoving it in his pocket and therefore crumpling it. He turned slowly to face Jaehyun and glared.

“Who are you to snoop in my room?” Yuta spat out before straightening out. “Oh yes, you’re the Prince. I assume you can do whatever you please, correct?”

Jaehyun shifted uncomfortably and opened his mouth to respond before Yuta interrupted him. “It is no importance to you who he is.”

Jaehyun felt himself deflate as guilt ate at him. He just couldn’t stop messing up around Yuta.

Yuta had gone back to his table, back turned to Jaehyun. “You may return later when your outfit is ready.”

The clear dismissal stung Jaehyun but he knew he deserved it. Yet, the nagging question of why Yuta reacted so strongly occupied his thoughts. He hesitated from leaving before he remembered how clearly Yuta had expressed his dislike toward him; of course, he wouldn’t want to talk to Jaehyun about whoever Taeyong was.

Jaehyun moved to the door, jaw clenched in frustration toward himself. Sicheng had been so wrong; Yuta wasn’t attracted to him at all. 

As he left, he glanced back at Yuta who had turned to look at him. Instead of anger, the other seemed to be fearful of something. The expression almost made Jaehyun stop but he shook it off. The fact that Yuta was scared that Jaehyun would punish him for speaking so harshly hurt him.

He shut the door softly behind him and gave a weak smile to Yukhei who was waiting for him in the hallway. As he made his way back to his chambers he smiled sadly. He wouldn’t punish Yuta, he wasn’t even mad at him. Jaehyun wasn’t his father and certainly wasn’t his brother. 

Annoyed at himself for being so caught up in worrying about Yuta, Jaehyun shook his head. Flashes of Jungwoo’s broken form and the Phoenix’s golden locket filled his mind. He had bigger things to think about than Yuta hating him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> midterms lasted longer than I thought they would :( hopefully it won't take me this long to update again!! but anyways, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!


	6. Chapter 6

For the number of times Jaehyun had been upset for being dismissed from important meetings, one would think that when he was invited to stay, he would be ecstatic. Normally, he assumed he would be. But of course, the first time his father had invited him to take part in a meeting, it would be about the Phoenix.

“As I said before, the boundaries between our land and Avon are weakening. That’s where those fuckers are coming from.”

He was sitting at a long table in the King’s study, just beside the general. Across from him, sat his brother and two advisors he recognized from seeing in the palace halls. At the head of the table, was his father. He sat on a seat slightly elevated than the others, looking regal and important in his flowing golden robes.

Giant maps of Reinea and the other four kingdoms hung on the walls, all marked up from past battle plans. Some maps were older, with rips and tears around the edges. Others had been recently drawn up again, the borders between kingdoms changing slightly as time went by. The door was locked as it always was during the meetings. 

At the center of the table sat the golden locket.

The King narrowed his eyes at the general’s words. “Which kingdom the prisoner may belong to is hardly the concern here. I don’t care where he’s from, the Phoenix rests on the lands of Reinea and that is what matters.”

Jaehyun thought back to the day in the throne room and realized that Jungwoo had remained wordless the entire time. Even when they had forced him to open the locket, he hadn’t spoken. There was no clue to if he spoke with a slight lift to the end of his words that was typical of the Avon accent.

The general looked as if she wanted to argue but stayed quiet. She had a specific sort of hatred for the Avon Kingdom. Granted, most subjects in Reinea hated Avon, especially now that there were so many border disputes. But as Jaehyun studied the sulking face of the general, the fury that was masked within her eyes, he knew there was more to her story for why she disliked Avon with so much passion.

Jaehyun glanced at his brother. Jun was deep in thought, his face was pale as he sat slumped in his chair. His short brown hair appeared to be damp and a bead of sweat made its way down his temple; it appeared he wasn’t feeling too well.

“It’s strange.” The Crown Prince said softly. “That we never found the place in which the Phoenix operated. Even when we killed it the first time.”

Wherever the Phoenix had picked as their headquarters, as their home base, the King’s forces had never discovered it. It was something that often haunted his father’s thoughts.

“Enough.” One of the advisors, a thin and gangly man, said weakly as he glanced at the locket on the table. “Why was this meeting called?”

Jun narrowed his eyes at the advisor. “Don’t tell me you’re ignorant to what has happened.” He smirked cruelly. “Or perhaps you’re simply too unintelligent.”

The advisor lowered his head in answer.

The general tapped her fingers on the table, eyes set on the King as he sat deep in thought. Despite his father’s habit of replacing general’s often, there was something different about this one. Sicheng had told Jaehyun that she had been one of the leading guards to track down the Phoenix all those years ago when it was first put down. She was ruthless and unforgiving, according to the book that Sicheng had been reading that recorded those times.

The general shifted in her seat, her cold features set up in a mask of boredom, yet Jaehyun could see the dangerous bloodlust that lingered just beneath. Her dark red robes flowed around her as if she were surrounded by the blood of the people she had slaughtered. Her eyes shifted to meet his own; they were a piercing green color that reminded Jaehyun of a snake.

“What we need is a plan of action.” The King suddenly said sternly as he looked around the table, effectively bringing the general’s gaze back to him. “As you all know, the Phoenix is back. Something that was confirmed by this locket that we found in the prisoner’s home. I would consider the fact that the locket is simply an old one that we didn’t discover, but the prisoner is young and full of that  _ annoying _ spirit that the Phoenix members have always possessed. He’s been hard to break.”

He paused briefly to clear his throat. “We have decided to subject the prisoner to more questioning to find out as much as we can about the Phoenix.”

Immediately, Jaehyun’s stomach flipped. Questioning. As in torture.

He fought against the urge to close his eyes; instead, he held his father’s gaze as he kept his face as blank as he could. For a moment, his father studied him, before turning back to the advisors and gesturing to the general.

“The questioning begins tonight.” The general said, excitement seeping into her voice. “Right now, our information about the Phoenix is low. But I’m confident that once we press the boy a little, his secrets will spill.”

Jaehyun found his gaze stuck on the locket as his stomach churned.

“Yes, very well.” Jun drawled, grasping the edge of the table to haul himself into an upright position. “The matter of the boy is settled. Can we get onto the real reason we’re here.”

At his words, surprise raced through Jaehyun. He had thought Jungwoo would be discussed more thoroughly. As he glanced between the two members of his family and the general he realized they must’ve talked about the Phoenix when they had the meeting in the throne room that Jaehyun hadn’t been invited to. 

“As you know, Avon is pressing forward.”

At the general’s words, Jaehyun jumped slightly. He hadn’t known that at all. He resisted the urge to scowl, he knew he was often left out of the loop on important matters happening in Reinea, but he hadn’t realized just how much he was.

“The borders closest to the palace are secure; however, Avon’s forces continue to breach our outer ones.” The general’s tone was full of disgust. “They have been after our lands for years, yet they’re attacking now.”

She stood swiftly and marched over to the biggest map, one that had all five kingdoms on it. Jaehyun’s eyes traveled to the top of the map, where Drangora was. It was a smaller land than Reinea and Avon but still bigger than Lilla, with a large number of people who mostly did farm work and kept to themselves, only really caring about their peace and their dragons. A neutral kingdom in almost every dispute.

The general pointed at Drangora and sneered. “We requested meetings with the Drangora Royals and were denied. They don’t care to be involved with any fighting between us and Avon.”

Jun chuckled darkly. “Those cowards only care about their stupid beasts.”

Jaehyun let his eyes travel to the small patch of unclaimed land to the west of Drangora which also bordered with Avon. He shivered as he thought of all the stories of bloodthirsty creatures and magical beings that lived in the land.

Just beneath Drangora sat Avon, the biggest kingdom second only to Reinea. 

The general moved her hand right over Avon, and Reinea which sat directly below it, to Lilla. “If we have hopes of defending our borders, we need to secure Lilla’s cooperation.”

Lilla was in the east and shared a border with Avon, Reinea, and the ocean. The small kingdom had never liked magic, even before Reinea had banned it.

The King smiled at the general’s words, shuffling through some papers that sat on the table in front of him. “We will have Lilla’s troops, don’t worry. It will be finalized in two days.”

Jaehyun looked down as he realized that Sooyoung and Jun’s wedding was in two days. He knew that the marriage was for political reasons, but hearing it talked about so bluntly made him feel sorrow for Sooyoung.

“Yes, but we must consider the number of magic bloods who live within Avon, who fight within their troops.” The taller of the two advisors said, his brow furrowing in thought

Silence fell on the room. As much as his father hated magic, he couldn’t deny the weakness they gained from not having magic bloods in their army, in their guards.

“And what about Erarus?”

At the other advisor’s shaky question, Jaehyun looked at the piece of land on the map which was labeled as Erarus. It was just east of Drangora and Avon, separated from the mainland by a strip of ocean. In order to reach it, one would have to take a ship; the waters were known to be treacherous and deadly. Jaehyun shivered, no one ever ventured to Erarus.

A stifling silence filled the room before his father spoke, cold and angry. “We will not have any dealings with such a place.”

“But surely having them on our side would take care of our Avon problems.” The advisor pressed on, eyes eager.

The King stood up suddenly, eyes burning with rage as he slammed his palm down onto the table. “I will  _ not _ have anything to do with that demon-filled land.”

The advisor slowly slid down in his chair as if he could hide from the King’s hateful gaze. 

Jun leaned forward, eyes twinkling with mischief. “As long as we have Lilla, we can take down Avon.” A cruel smile etched itself onto his face at the thought.

“What if we talked to Nayoung, the Avon ambassador?” Jaehyun blurted out, mind racing for ideas on how to avoid an inevitable war. “Perhaps we could try to solve this border dispute without bloodshed.”

His brother’s assessing gaze landed on him as he simply studied him for a moment. Jaehyun resisted the urge to cower under the stare as his father sat back down in his chair.

“There has already been bloodshed, brother.” Jun glanced at their father as he spoke. “But perhaps I can speak to Nayoung again.”

At his brother’s excited tone, Jaehyun felt his stomach drop. He should’ve stayed quiet.

“Very well.” The King said curtly, looking done with the conversation. “Then our plan of action is to wait for the alliance between us and Lilla to finalize and then begin to gather our forces at the border.”

War was coming it seemed. A war that was less over borders and more over the matter of magic. A war that Jaehyun wasn’t sure his kingdom could win, not with all of the magic blooded people who fought for Avon. With the Phoenix back, Reinea would be weaker and more prone to falling. 

Jaehyun twisted his ring nervously, wondering how he could prepare himself for the loss of his kingdom.

 

 

\---

 

 

In all his time where he had suffered through nightmares, Jaehyun had tried a number of supposed remedies that various healers had claimed would help. Eventually, he had given up and opted to tough it out; surely he wouldn’t be having nightmares his whole life.

That was four years ago.

Jaehyun laid in his bed, heart frantically beating in his chest as he attempted to forget his latest nightmare. The screams of the members of the Phoenix echoed in his mind.

Exhaling heavily, he threw the covers over his head as if it could protect him from the darkness that plagued his dreams.

A knock on his door brought him back to his senses. Groaning softly, he dragged himself up and out of bed. His feet shuffled across the floor as he made his way to the doorway and lazily threw it open.

Johnny stood before him, obviously attempting to conceal his worry. The other was so often his guard during the night that he was accustomed to the sound of Jaehyun screaming from nightmares; unlike Yukhei.

“Sorry.” Jaehyun mumbled, leaving the door open for Johnny to follow him into the room. 

He ran his hand along the surface of his table before falling back into bed and spreading his arms out like a bird.

“Don’t apologize,” Johnny’s footsteps were barely audible. “I just wanted to make sure you were alright.”

Jaehyun gave an empty laugh. “I’ll never be alright.”

Silence filled the air. Jaehyun could hear Johnny shifting nervously just beside his bed and he turned his head to look up at his guard, “I’m sorry that I’m such a burden.”

Johnny opened his mouth to respond but Jaehyun cut him off. “I’m a failure of a Prince.” He looked down at his hands, his fingers twisted together tightly.

“Not responsible enough for my father. Not brave enough to stand up for the people.” The clock against the far wall began to tick loudly as if it was agreeing with him. “I’m just a useless burden.”

Johnny blankly stared at him for a moment before sighing and sitting down beside him on the bed.  “You’re no burden Jae, and you’re definitely not useless. I believe that you have a bigger purpose in life than just being your father’s son.”

Jaehyun inhaled sharply; he hated how good Johnny was at reading him.

“We’re friends.” Johnny continued as he awkwardly perched on Jaehyun’s bed. “Friends are there for one another. Besides, I wouldn’t lie to you, you know that.”

Jaehyun smiled sadly but stayed quiet. Instead, he focused on the ticking of the clock. 

Maybe Johnny believed in him, but he had a sinking feeling that he would be stuck in this place his whole life. The useless prince who couldn’t do anything to save his people, who couldn’t even stand up to his father. Who couldn’t do anything to stop an inevitable war.

After another minute, he stood up. “I need to take a walk.”

Johnny mirrored his action and followed him out of the door and into the hallway. 

Jaehyun started to walk toward the kitchen before stopping abruptly. “Do you think I could go alone?”

Johnny’s face showed his conflict. On one hand, his job was to protect Jaehyun, to trail after him wherever he went. On the other hand, Johnny knew how much Jaehyun needed to be alone, to feel freedom even when he knew he didn’t truly have it.

“Please?” Jaehyun whispered, eyes downcast. “I won’t be gone long.”

Finally, Johnny nodded, resulting in Jaehyun smiling wide. “Thank you, truly.”

The other smiled back and patted his shoulder. “I’ll be waiting here.”

With a small skip in his step, Jaehyun made his way to the kitchen. Whenever he had nightmares, and Johnny was on duty outside of his door, he often found himself in the empty kitchen late at night. He didn’t know how to cook well, but he didn’t go into the kitchen for food.

Excited, Jaehyun rounded the corner of the hallway the kitchen was on, only to collide with another person. The person’s arms reached out to save him from falling, pulling him back into their body.

Jaehyun blinked slowly. His face was shoved into someone’s chest; his nose squished against soft fabric.

As soon as he registered the situation, he jumped back quickly only to see Yuta standing before him. He could feel a blush rise onto his cheeks at the sight of the tailor. He had smelled good, like roses.

“We have to stop meeting like this.” Jaehyun said before he could stop himself.

Immediately, he regretted his words. The last time he had seen the other, Yuta was yelling at him to get out. 

To his credit, Yuta didn’t seem too frustrated as he simply rolled his eyes at Jaehyun. “What are you doing here?”

Jaehyun raised his eyebrow. “I live here,” He stated playfully before looking pointedly at him. “What are you doing here.”

Yuta scoffed and shook his head, refusing to answer. At a closer look, Jaehyun could see the bags that were under Yuta’s eyes and felt his expression soften.

“Couldn’t sleep?” He asked in a softer voice.

Yuta seemed surprised at the change in tone before hesitantly nodding. A cool wind blew up the empty hallway, causing the pair to shiver at the sensation.

Jaehyun gave him a small, yet genuine smile. “Come with me.”

He turned and started to walk toward the kitchen before realizing Yuta wasn’t following him. “Trust me.” He said lightly, holding out his hand for the other.

Yuta squinted his eyes. “I already did that once and you see how that turned out.” But he followed Jaehyun anyway, brushing past his outreached hand and through the kitchen door.

For a moment, Jaehyun stood in his place, hand still out, before he nodded to himself and followed Yuta.  As he entered, he noticed how the other stood awkwardly in the middle of the kitchen, stance uncomfortable as his eyes darted around. 

“What, never been in a kitchen before?”

Yuta sneered in response to Jaehyun’s words before sitting down on a nearby stool and folding his arms over his chest.

Jaehyun stared in wonder; it looked as if Yuta was pouting. As quickly as he had registered the thought, Yuta seemed to realize himself and straightened up, frown now present on his face.

“What do you want?”

Jaehyun resisted the urge to laugh as he made his way over to a nearby shelf. He easily reached to the top, retrieving the basket that was full of the materials he used to make the bracelets.

“Why so hostile?” He questioned lightly as Yuta glared. “I’m just trying to make bracelets.”

He relished in Yuta’s surprised expression; his eyes wide and pink lips opened in a small ‘o’. The sight was so unlike Yuta’s usual scowl that Jaehyun had to take a moment to recover. 

Trying to fight back a blush, he turned quickly back to the basket and begun to spread the materials out on the table in front of them.

Different colored and sized buttons fell out of the basket and clanked onto the table. At the sound, Jaehyun couldn’t resist humming a soft tune as he gently took out the carefully placed strings of fabric that he used for the bracelets. Without glancing at Yuta, he got to work.

Shifting through the different colors, he chose a light blue string of fabric and laid it out in front of him. He quickly tied a knot on one end of the fabric before moving his attention back to the table. A smile graced his lips as he shifted through the various beads and buttons, looking for suitable ones.

The screech of a stool rang out in the deserted room and soon, Yuta had taken a seat right next to Jaehyun, eyes wide and curious.

The tailor watched intently as Jaehyun chose a small green bead and carefully begun to weave the fabric through it. The close proximity to Yuta left Jaehyun feeling a bit lightheaded; he could feel his heartbeat racing as he struggled not to look up.

As soon as the green bead was securely on the fabric, Jaehyun turned back to the other beads and buttons to look for the next one. Without a word, Yuta moved his hand and carefully selected an incredibly small silver button. He placed it in Jaehyun’s open palm, his fingers brushing against his skin for only an instant before he pulled back. Jaehyun shivered slightly, fighting the blush that he knew was coming.

Coughing softly, Jaehyun picked up the fabric and weaved it through the button so that it would lay face down on the wrist of whoever wore it.

“Why do you do this?”

Yuta’s soft question caused Jaehyun to still his actions for a moment before he smiled and continued. “When I was younger, my mother and I would make bracelets together.”

Quietly, Yuta handed him a bigger, blue bead that had once been on a gaudy hat Sicheng had worn to the Spring Ball last year.

As Jaehyun worked, he continued speaking. “We would collect strings of fabric from different clothes or accessories that people around the palace would wear.” He laughed as Yuta scrunched his nose. “That’s how we got the beads and buttons too.”

Yuta curiously picked up a small pebble that was in the mix of materials. “What about these?”

“We got those in the garden of the courtyard.” Jaehyun smiled fondly at the memory. “Just beneath the dark red roses, there’s a ton of small pebbles like that.”

He carefully took the pebble from Yuta’s hand and begun to wrap the string around it in a way that made it become a part of the bracelet. 

“There.” He proclaimed, holding it up for Yuta to see. 

The pebble was almost completely covered from the fabric that had been wrapped all around it, but Jaehyun didn’t mind. He cared more about the memory of collecting it with his mother than how it would look on the bracelet.

Yuta smiled softly at him before looking back down at the mess of materials and beginning to search for another button. They continued to work in silence until the bracelet was full of multi-colored beads, buttons, and the one pebble.

Memories of Yuta yelling at him just the day before came back to Jaehyun and he tensed up. The urge to apologize filled him but something held him back, he didn’t want to ruin the peaceful atmosphere the two of them were sitting in.  He glanced sideways at Yuta and felt warmth burst in his chest at the sight of the other carefully sifting through the beads. 

“Whenever I get nightmares and can’t sleep, I come down to do this,” Jaehyun said before he could stop himself as he looked back down at the bracelet, letting his thumb rub against the pebble. “It makes me feel closer to her.”

Suddenly, he felt Yuta put his hand on his shoulder, and he looked back up to see the other staring back at him, gaze sorrowful and understanding. At that moment, Yuta looked just as he had on the day they had met. His eyes were open and honest; the fire that lived within them, a gentle flicker that comforted Jaehyun. 

All of the worries Jaehyun held about his family, about the Phoenix and Jungwoo, about the war, and about whoever Taeyong was to Yuta, faded away. The only thing that mattered was Yuta, and how he was looking at him.

In a split second decision, Jaehyun moved to take Yuta’s gloved hand in his own. Surprisingly, the other let him. He struggled not to blush as he gently wrapped the finished bracelet around Yuta’s wrist, just beneath where his glove ended and tied it.

Yuta looked up, an unreadable expression passing over his face before he ducked his head to look down at the bracelet. 

“Thank you.” He whispered, voice full of wonder as if he had never received a gift.

Before Yuta’s hair covered his expression, Jaehyun could make out the beginning of a beautiful smile.

 

 

\---

 

 

“You seriously can’t think sneaking out is a good idea.”

Jaehyun quickly spun around from where he had been carefully fastening his cloak. Behind him stood Sicheng, arms crossed over his chest and an unimpressed look on his face.

Jaehyun nervously laughed. “What do you mean?”

Sicheng rolled his eyes. “Come on Jae, I’m not stupid.” He glanced around the empty courtyard they were standing in. “You get this look in your eye every time you’re about to sneak out into the city.”

In a tree near them, a bird started to sing a lovely yet strangely sad tune. After a few moments, more birds joined into the song, making the courtyard echo with the melody.

Ignoring Sicheng, Jaehyun strode over to a nearby bench and sat down to begin to lace up his boots. He passed the cluster of dark red roses that his mother had loved so much and smiled at the sight of the pebbles that decorated the ground beneath them.

“Where’s Johnny?”

Jaehyun looked up at Sicheng’s question and tilted his head toward the palace. “He’s off.” He finished and stood up. “Yukhei’s on duty.”

Sicheng sighed, exasperated with his friend. “Then where’s Yukhei?”

Jaehyun gave him a wicked smile and shrugged. 

“Look Jae,” Sicheng started in a soft tone. “You really shouldn’t be going out there. I mean, your brother’s wedding is tomorrow.” He leaned in closer and lowered his voice. “Plus, with the information we just learned, it’ll be dangerous.”

Right. The existence of the Phoenix. 

Jaehyun thought back to the assassins that had chased him last time he snuck out, the time he had met Yuta. Maybe those assassins had been with the Phoenix. The thought made a chill go down Jaehyun’s spine. He knew the Phoenix hated his father, it would make sense for them to target one of his sons.

Sicheng threw an arm around Jaehyun’s shoulders, slowly leading him out of the courtyard and back inside the palace.

“Anyways,” Sicheng murmured in Jaehyun’s ear. “I came to find you because I heard something about that Phoenix prisoner.”

Thoughts of assassins instantly flew out of Jaehyun’s head at the mention of Jungwoo. He tilted his head slightly to show Sicheng that he was listening. 

A small group of nobles passed them and Jaehyun gave them his best smile as they offered their congratulations to him for his brother’s marriage the next day. As soon as the group moved on, Jaehyun leaned into Sicheng in an attempt to tell him to continue his story.

He heard Sicheng chuckle under his breath. “I overheard the general telling some guards to move the prisoner to the West Tower.”

Jaehyun sucked in a breath. The West Tower was where the most important prisoners were taken. There was only one room up in the West Tower and one small door that was heavily guarded. Jaehyun had never been up there himself, but he had heard about it from gossiping servants and boasting nobles. 

The tower was a place no prisoner could escape, it was protected from all magic and as soon as a magic blooded person entered, they would become weak and tired.

Jaehyun supposed that Jungwoo being contained in the West Tower confirmed that the other had magic blood. Him being kept there would certainly hurt him. The urge to do something filled Jaehyun and he clenched his hand into a fist as Jungwoo’s pleading eyes flashed in his mind.

The grip Sicheng had on him loosened, but Jaehyun was lost in thought. He knew enough about the West Tower, and he could probably figure out the guard schedule from Johnny if he needed to.

He smiled as the beginning of a plan began to weave its way through his mind.

He thought of asking Sicheng to help him but quickly shook his head. It was way too dangerous. If Jaehyun was caught he would have a chance to defend himself but as the healer’s brother, Sicheng would have none.

There was only one night where the castle would be full of enough people to hide what he was doing. And only one night where his father and brother would be distracted.  Jaehyun swallowed thickly, already mapping out a plan in his head. He would help Jungwoo escape during the Crown Prince’s wedding night.

 

\---

 

Jaehyun knocked loudly on the door before him as he shifted nervously from foot to foot. Johnny stood behind him, tall and proud with a hand resting casually on his sword.

The door swung open to reveal Yuta. His hair was sticking up all over the place, a pin stuck between his teeth, and stress painted across his beautiful features. 

Despite the other’s disheveled state, Jaehyun found himself breathless at the sight of him. “I’m here for my clothes.” He breathed out shakily.

Yuta rolled his eyes but left the door open as he retreated back into his room. As Jaehyun entered, he took note of how the room had gotten even messier since the last time he had been there just days ago.

Sets of clothes were carefully folded throughout the room, all belonging to someone important. Yet on the floor, materials were all scattered about as if Yuta had been too busy to clean up after he had finished making the clothes.

Jaehyun smiled softly and followed Yuta over to the nearest table, to the set of clothes he knew to be his. He vaguely registered Johnny shutting the door and staying just outside, waiting for Jaehyun to come out. Yuta held up the clothes and Jaehyun’s breath caught at the sight.

The trousers were a dark red color, the shade of the roses that grew in the garden. The blouse was made of flowy material that was a simple white and tied loosely at the collar. But it was the jacket that he stared the longest at.

The blue of the jacket was the same blue that Yuta had shown him during the fitting. It was the color of the lake that sat beside the palace, a rich blue that reminded Jaehyun of home. On top of the blue, were dark red roses.

“Do you like it?”

He looked up at Yuta who had taken the pin out of his mouth and was staring at him, appearing almost as if he was nervous.

Jaehyun smiled gently at him. “It’s beautiful, thank you.”

At his words, Yuta seemed to sag in relief. He glanced down at the other’s wrist and saw the bracelet that he had given him was still there, still sitting just beneath his glove.

As he reached forward to take the clothes from Yuta, he saw something fall out of the other’s robe sleeve. He stopped his action and bent down to pick it up, vaguely registering Yuta’s shocked gasp.

His fingers closed around a golden locket. 

His mind was blank as he stared at the object, so plain looking to those who didn’t know what it stood for. As quickly as he had registered the locket, Yuta had bent down and picked it up, holding it desperately against his chest, right over his heart.

He was staring at him, eyes wide as he searched Jaehyun’s face; he was likely trying to figure out if Jaehyun knew what the locket was, what it meant.

His expression must’ve given him away because Yuta’s eyes slowly filled with terror. “Look,” He began slowly, voice shaking as he lifted his other hand up. “I can explain.”

The emotions that swirled within Jaehyun were unidentifiable. His breathing became heavy as flashes of the screaming members of the Phoenix filled his mind. He stumbled forward, putting a hand out to catch himself on the table. His head hung low, bangs covering his eyes.

Yuta was a member of the Phoenix.

Suddenly, instead of the faceless bodies of the tortured people that occupied his nightmares, Yuta was in place of them. Yuta was screaming in agony from the prison, Yuta was kneeling brokenly before his father, Yuta was lying motionless on the throne room floor.

“Jaehyun?”

Yuta’s scared voice broke through his thoughts and he jerked his head up. His thoughts faded away as they held eye contact. Yuta’s usually unreadable eyes were full of fear and desperation; a mix Jaehyun had never thought he would see in Yuta.

He vaguely noticed that Yuta was holding a knife; he had no idea where it came from. 

The sight of the knife brought terror back full force to Jaehyun. Yuta was a part of the Phoenix. The organization who his father hated, the organization full of magic blooded people.

His eyes darted down to Yuta’s hands, but there was nothing out of the ordinary about them. They were covered in those same fingerless leather gloves. He raised his eyes to meet Yuta’s own. Standing before him was a member of the Phoenix, someone who was almost certainly a magic blooded person. If his father found out…

Jaehyun shook his head quickly and began to back away, toward the door. Yuta raised the knife warningly but Jaehyun didn’t stop.

If his father knew who Yuta really was, he would face a fate worse than death. 

“Jungwoo.” 

Yuta jumped at the name that slipped out of Jaehyun’s mouth. He seemed surprised as his eyes darted around the room quickly as if searching for the boy.  Did he not know the other was here? If not, why  _ was _ Yuta here? Jaehyun drew in a sharp breath, was Yuta an assassin meant to kill him and his family?

He couldn’t keep up with his own thoughts as his gaze landed on the bracelet he had made still tied tightly around Yuta’s wrist. 

His father’s words filled his mind, full of disgust and warning.  _ The Phoenix is full of dangerous and untrustworthy people. Magic bloods are killers. _

With Yuta standing before him, clutching the locket that confirmed who he was, Jaehyun should turn him in. He should run straight to his father and have Yuta arrested. The thought made him want to throw up.

“Jaehyun.” Yuta repeated, eyes pleading as he took a step forward, knife still raised.

Nausea rose up within him; he had to get out of there.

“I won’t tell.” Jaehyun rasped out quickly before turning around and darting out of the room. 

He thought he heard Yuta call his name but he was already running blindly away. His vision blurred with tears as he turned into a concealed doorway and dropped to his knees. The feet of guards pursuing him raced past him, blind to his hiding spot. He could hear Johnny's voice calling out for him, but he stayed silent.

He leaned his head forward so that it was resting on the cool stonewall in front of him. He didn’t know what to feel. All he knew was the Yuta was a member of the organization his family hunted, an organization they hated with everything they had.

As the Second Prince of Reinea, Jaehyun should have Yuta arrested. But as his mother’s son, and as the man he so desperately wanted to be, he knew he couldn’t.

Jungwoo’s broken body flashed before his eyes. The pleading screams of the wife of the old Phoenix leader rang in his ears. No, he wouldn’t let Yuta be trapped and tortured here in the palace. He wouldn’t.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oof big rip, when will jaehyun not be overwhelmed. i'm so excited for the next few chapters uwu.  
> also i'm working on making a VERY SIMPLE map like the one mentioned in this chapter just so ya'll can kinda have a visual of what was being described earlier. I'll attach it next chapter!  
> Thank you everyone who supports this, I love hearing everyone's feedback:)  
> (also yes jaehyun’s outfit for the wedding is based off of the one in poetic beauty, you know the one)


	7. Chapter 7

“I present the Second Prince of Reinea, Jung Jaehyun.”

Jaehyun smiled politely as the room full of guests clapped for him. He stood up from his seat at the front of the room and raised his hand in greeting, flashing those nearest to him a smile he knew looked good on him. As the clapping died down, he sat back in his seat and leaned foward, allowing his eyes to scan the room. Guests glided in through the great ballroom doors, decked out in riches and jewels. The room was full of lavish dresses and colorful jackets, no robes of status were ever worn during weddings. 

Sitting beside him was his brother and Sooyoung, recently married and looking as if they wanted to be anywhere but where they were. Jaehyun felt a pang of sorrow for Sooyoung. He hadn’t spoken to her since the medicine room when he had freaked out in front of her.

Sighing to himself, he stood up and made his way toward the cluster of guests all waiting for the music to begin. He fought to keep his mind from wandering to the day before, to what he had found out about Yuta.

As gracefully as he could, he approached a small group of nobles and noticed pleasantly that Kun was there as well. He bowed his head slightly as the nobles acknowledged his presence and smiled. “Lovely wedding, was it not?”

The nobles all laughed politely and nodded. Sehun, a tall and handsome young man around Jaehyun’s age, shifted toward him. “It was indeed, Prince Jaehyun.” He moved even closer, eyes twinkling. “Princess Sooyoung is going to be a wonderful Queen for Reinea one day.”

Jaehyun bowed his head, his expression still one of pleasantness as another noble spoke up from beside Sehun. 

“How fortunate we are to be united with Lilla.” The man frowned. “It’s really too bad that no other Royals could attend.”

At the mention of the remaining three kingdoms, Jaehyun had to fight the urge to tense. Relations with them were strained, perhaps more so than these nobles truly knew. Looking at the group's eager expressions, it appeared as if they were trying to find out as much as they could from him. His mind raced for a way to smooth out the underlying question the noble had asked. Immediately he thought of a lesson Sicheng had given him over Drangora traditions.

“You must understand that this time of year is difficult for some.” The nobles nodded along at his words. “With the beginning of autumn, Drangora is preparing for their annual festivals.”

Every year, once summer ended and the leaves on the trees began to turn an array of oranges and reds, Drangora held a series of festivals. It was a tradition that was solely for their kingdom, one where they honored their dragons and the changing of seasons with dances and ceremonies. While Drangora had officially declined to attend the wedding because of the dangers of traveling through Avon during a time of oncoming war, the nobles didn’t necessarily need to know that. Drangora Royals missing the wedding because of their autumn festivals was believable enough. 

“And Avon?” Sehun inquired eagerly.

Jaehyun swallowed. Surely the nobles knew of the border discourse with Avon. A glance around at their faces confirmed that they did; he resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

“It’s a pity that the Avon Royals were unable to make it.” Jaehyun stated carefully, glancing to where Nayoung, the Avon ambassador, stood silently in a corner.

Sehun frowned and looked as if he was about to say something else before Kun cut in.

“So, when’s your wedding Prince?”

Jaehyun turned to face Kun who was wearing a soft yet mischievous smile on his face. At the mention of a possible upcoming wedding, the other nobles seemed to forget about Avon as they all gathered closer to Jaehyun.

“Unfortunately, a wedding for me is not in the works yet.” Jaehyun began, smiling slightly when the nobles seemed to deflate. “But I’m sure my father is looking for a suitable match as we speak.”

The nobles immediately began to wish him luck, even as his own words swirled disgust within himself. It was like he was a doll that did whatever his father told him to do. How  _ great _ .

Suddenly, a hand pressed against his back and he turned slightly to see Sicheng, his hair slicked back and cheeks flushed. The glasses that perched on the bridge of his nose had fallen down slightly.

At the sight of his best friend, the urge to blurt out that Yuta was a member of the Phoenix filled him. He had told Yuta he wouldn’t tell anyone, but Sicheng was the person Jaehyun trusted the most in the world. Just as he was about to drag the other away, Kun spoke up.

“Sicheng! Where have you been?” 

Sicheng opened his mouth to respond but was cut off by Sehun. “I suppose you had to wait to be cleared to enter the ballroom.” He glanced up and down Sicheng’s frame with a distasteful expression. “Where’s that brother of yours? Still holed away in some disgusting, dark cave?”

Immediately, Sicheng’s face tightened and he stared the noble down. A silence had fallen over the group, all looking nervously between the pair.

“My brother attends to an urgent patient at the moment. You know saving lives and all.  _ Important  _ and _ meaningful  _ work, something I’m sure you have no real concept of.” Sicheng replied coolly before turning to Jaehyun and dragging him away, ignoring Sehun’s scandalized gasp and Kun’s chuckle.

As soon as they were out of hearing distance Jaehyun clenched his fist. “How dare he.”

Like Jaehyun, Sehun had grown up in the palace. Unlike Jaehyun, he had attempted to make friends with other people their age that were of high status. Sehun, along with a wide array of other nobles, often looked down on those below him in class; especially Sicheng. Unfortunately, being friends with the Prince of Reinea had put a target on Sicheng’s back. A lot of people in the palace disliked the fact that their prince was best friends with the palace doctor’s younger brother.

Sicheng shook his head. “I’m used to Sehun’s comments, don’t worry.” He glanced around the ballroom before smiling widely and holding out his hand. “Wanna dance?”

For a moment, Jaehyun simply stared at his friend, the abrupt change in subject throwing him off, before he eagerly nodded.

The pair took to the dance floor, immediately falling into well-known steps and rhythms. All of their lives they had done this; spinning and laughing in the middle of ballroom dance floors, uncaring about what other people thought. 

Sicheng spun Jaehyun around and he felt himself laughing giddily with his best friend as they moved to the music. They twirled in time; Jaehyun made sure to step on Sicheng’s toes, earning him a sharp slap on the shoulder.

“Stop that.” He hissed out, holding his shoulder in mocking pain. “Why would you hit me, you know I’m a bad dancer.”

Sicheng rolled his eyes and laughed. “You’re one of the best dancers I know. Stop being annoying, Jae.”

Jaehyun pouted lightly and ruffled Sicheng’s hair in response. The other immediately let go of him and tried to fix his messed up hair, curses falling out of his mouth as Jaehyun simply laughed.

A cough from behind him cut short his laughter and Sicheng straightened up immediately. He turned quickly to see the Lilla Queen standing before him.

Resisting the urge to groan, Jaehyun slapped a pleasant smile on his face and bowed. “Your Highness.”

The Lilla Queen gave him a big smile and tugged him forward to walk with her, away from Sicheng who was giving him an amused smirk. A laughing couple brushed past them as they moved out of the throng of dancers. 

As they walked, Jaehyun scanned the crowds of people, desperately hoping to see Yuta’s face. Glancing around the ballroom, he saw no sign of the tailor and sighed, he desperately needed to speak to him. In his shock, Jaehyun had fled Yuta’s room without thinking of telling the other of his plan to save Jungwoo.

Guilt raced through him; here he was planning to rescue a Phoenix prisoner and wanting to conspire with  _ another _ Phoenix member. His father would kill him if he knew.

Jaehyun craned his neck as he continued to search; he had no idea if Yuta even knew Jungwoo was in the palace. The tailor had seemed confused when Jaehyun had mentioned Jungwoo’s name yesterday.

“I believe this kingdom will treat my Sooyoung well.” The Lilla Queen said conversationally, pulling Jaehyun from his thoughts. “I mean just look at this wedding.”

Obediently, Jaehyun glanced around the room. Even without decorations, the ballroom was gorgeous, with its white marble floors and walls, all lined with gold. For the wedding, numerous fabrics and jewels adorned the room, making it glimmer as if the ballroom itself was celebrating. From the middle of the ceiling hung beautiful blue sheer fabrics, draped down to resemble waves of an ocean. A huge crystal chandelier hung from where the fabrics met, the diamonds twinkling as if winking at guests. On the sides of the room were long tables full of pastries and other delightful foods. The center of the ballroom was empty, to give room for dancing and conversations.

The thought of how much the wedding cost gave Jaehyun a headache as he immediately thought of better ways the money could be used for.

“Yes, the Princess will be well cared for here,” He glanced at where Sooyoung sat, face dark and so unlike what one would expect of a newly wedded bride. “She is my family now.”

As he spoke the words, he found that he meant them. In the weeks Sooyoung had been in the palace, he had come to care for her and see her as a friend. Even though they hadn’t spoken in days, she was now a regular and familiar figure within the palace. He smiled at the thought; he had never had many friends.

The Lilla Queen’s expression was one of complete thankfulness as she clasped his hand within two of her own. “Thank you.” She looked briefly over at her daughter. “My Sooyoung can take care of herself, but it worries me still that she will remain in an unfamiliar kingdom. Hearing that she has a friend in you brings me comfort.”

Jaehyun nodded and was about to respond when he noticed a flurry of movement out of the corner of his eye. His heart sped up as he saw Yuta enter the ballroom, his steps graceful and filled with purpose. The tailor’s long black hair was tied up in a neat bun, swept away completely from his face so that his handsome features were clearly visible to the world. He was wearing simple black pants and a purple and pink jacket that seemed to be sparkling under the lights. 

Jaehyun felt as if he couldn’t breathe as he stared. Yuta didn’t seem to notice him yet, his head was tilted back as he looked around curiously at the elaborate decorations.

The Lilla Queen tapped on Jaehyun’s shoulder politely, causing him to tear his eyes from Yuta and look back at her. Her expression was still genuinely thankful, something that greatly differed from the mask she usually wore.

“You’re a great young man, Prince Jaehyun.” She said honestly, squeezing his hand tightly. “Your mother would be proud of who you have become.”

The mention of his mother sent a pang through his chest as he stared uncomprehendingly at her. The Lilla Queen had mentioned that she knew his mother, but for her to say that she would be proud of him, hinted that they were closer than he had thought.

He desperately wanted to ask her more, but his mouth seemed to be full of cotton as the Lilla Queen simply smiled at him and then left, walking gracefully toward the table her daughter sat at. He stared after her as if in a trance before remembering Yuta.

Quickly, he looked around for any signs of the tailor but came up short. It seemed as if he had disappeared once more. The party was in full swing, people dancing and conversing all around Jaehyun. His stomach turned as he glanced at the great clock that hung on the wall. If he didn’t act soon, his window of opportunity to help Jungwoo would pass.

Giving up looking for Yuta, Jaehyun began to weave his way through the mass of people in the ballroom. He would have to help Jungwoo on his own.

He saw Sicheng conversing with Johnny in the far corner of the ballroom and Yukhei scanning the crowd warily, foot tapping impatiently. He glanced at the head table, his brother and father were both caught up in conversation with the Lilla Royals.

He had to do it now.

  
  


\---

  
  


The faint music from the ballroom traveled up into the hallway as Jaehyun strode as quickly as he could to the west wing. He had taken the long way, opting to go down certain hallways and then double back, in case anyone had noticed him leave and was following him.

The joyful tones of the violin seemed to bounce off the stone walls, its’ festive melody wrapping itself around Jaehyun as if to remind that it wouldn’t distract people all night, that he had better hurry. 

As he stepped through the door separating the west wing from the rest of the palace, a cold feeling settled itself within his bones and he tugged the plain black cloak he had snatched from the kitchen tighter around himself. The music couldn’t be heard any more from where he was silently creeping down the deserted hallway. If his observations were correct, the guard who paced this hallway would still be around the corner. 

At the sound of approaching footsteps, he swept into the closest doorway, flattening himself up against the door to hide in the darkness that resided there. The guard passed by, taking no notice in the prince who had become almost one with the shadows. Jaehyun held his breath as he waited for the guard to turn the corner before leaving his hiding place and continuing forward.

Jaehyun was unsure of what was kept in the west wing of the palace besides the west tower, all he knew was that it was often deserted.

He quickly made his way to the stairwell which he knew led up to the west tower, keeping what Johnny had unknowingly told him in his mind. Jaehyun smiled to himself at the thought. Earlier that day, he had pretended to be distracted with getting ready when Johnny and Yukhei had discussed guard duty, keeping his face carefully blank as Johnny had said which guards were going to be in the west wing during the wedding celebration.

Finally, turning at the last corner and crouching in the nearest doorway, Jaehyun could see a red door at the end of the hallway, one he knew led to the staircase of the west tower. The door was the color of blood, similar to the general’s cloak, and had various carvings on it. Only one guard stood in the hall, her face bored as she stared unblinkingly at the wall in front of her.

Jaehyun blinked. He hadn’t thought of what he would do to get past this guard. He resisted the urge to curse himself out loud at his foolishness. Just as he began to scramble for an idea, the guard perked up, her gaze flitting to Jaehyun’s hiding spot in the darkness. Her eyes seemed to pierce through him as if she could see him despite the shadows he knew covered him well. His heartbeat pounded in his ears; he had no idea what excuse he would give her for being huddled in a dark doorway. 

Just as the guard began to walk toward him, another female voice sounded from the end of the hallway. Jaehyun whipped his head to see who it was and almost slumped in relief when another guard appeared, beckoning with her hand for the first guard to join her. 

The first guard smiled widely and walked past Jaehyun, seeming to forget about whatever had caught her attention toward his hiding spot. The pair embraced and together, rounded the corner, leaving the hallway leading to the red door completely clear. Jaehyun felt himself blush as the couple began to obviously flirt with each other. From the nearness of their voices, he could tell they had stopped to talk just around the corner.

Without a moment more of hesitation, Jaehyun sprung out of the darkness and to the door. He kept his steps light and quick, a hand on his sword hilt as his ears strained to hear the two guards. Their voices were uncomfortable close but still, they remained around the corner. One of them laughed brightly at the other’s joke.

For a moment, Jaehyun stopped with his hand hovering over the handle of the door. People whispered dreadful stories about the door to the west tower; that it was painted in the blood of those who died in the tower, that it was full of dark magic.

He shook his head at the thought of his father using any type of magic in the palace and yanked on the handle hard. Surprisingly, the door was unlocked and he immediately threw himself into the stairwell. The door gently closed behind him, throwing him in almost complete darkness. As carefully as he could, he hugged the nearest wall and began to make his way up the steep stairwell.

Unlit torches lined the walls, cobwebs adorned them as if they hadn’t been used in years. Jaehyun’s hands grasped the cool stone of the walls, dirt sticking to his sweaty palms as he stumbled up the stairs.

Finally, he reached the top and paused to catch his breath as he took in an identical looking door before him. The carvings were completely the same, and so was the blood red color. Confused, he reached forward and opened it gently, unable to see past the darkness that filled what was beyond the door. With the beating of his heart loudly sounding in his ears, he crossed the threshold and saw more stairs before him, winding up into complete darkness.

Again, Jaehyun made his way up, desperately clutching the wall of stone and unlit torches. When he reached the top, he once more found an identical red door. Countless times, he opened the door and stumbled up the stairway until finally, he stopped, heart pounding and breathing labored.

He stood confused, glaring at the red door before him as his mind raced. He had climbed countless flights of stairs, and he knew that the west tower was not endlessly tall. Tilting his head to the side in thought, he let his gaze wander around the surface of the door.

Magic. This was a trick of magic.

Frustrated, he blew his hair out of his eyes and stood with his hands on his hips. Think.

His eyes traveled around the carvings on the door, and he noticed that each kingdom was represented: Lilla as a big fish, Drangora as a dragon, Avon as a grand tree, Erarus as a cat’s eye, and Reinea as mountains. He traced each carving, letting his hands wander over the door’s surface. A strong sense of determination suddenly filled him, and he felt as if he knew what to do as a tugging feeling resided within his chest.

Without thinking, his hands traveled to the top left corner of the door where the carving of the Reinea mountains was. One hand rested over the carving as his other reached down to free his sword from its’ hilt. The slide of the blade against the holster sharply sounded throughout the deadly silent stairwell, echoing off the stone walls. As if in a trance, Jaehyun gently used the sword to create a small cut on his palm and watched unblinkingly as his blood ran down his newly injured hand. Something within him tugged again and he reached up to put his bloodied hand palm down on top of the mountain carving.

At first, nothing happened. Jaehyun could feel the cloud of haziness that had settled over his mind start to clear as he began to realize what he had done. Just as he was about to retract his hand, the door clicked and flung open.

Blinding light spilled out from the room beyond and Jaehyun squinted, his injured hand held out in front of his eyes. As soon as his vision adjusted, he peered past the doorway and saw a figure slumped up against the farthest wall. 

Jaehyun stepped forward, putting one foot past the threshold and causing the person to immediately look up. Jungwoo.

Jungwoo’s mouth dropped open at the sight of the Second Prince of Reinea standing at the door of his prison, one hand bloodied and a sword clutched in the other. Jaehyun reached out his hand, eyes searching for anything binding Jungwoo but seeing nothing.

“Come on.” 

Jungwoo seemed confused as he tilted his head slightly, making no move to stand up. However, as soon as Jaehyun dropped his sword and fully entered the room, Jungwoo’s eyes widened in warning. 

Jaehyun immediately clutched his head in pain. It was like someone was pushing down on his mind, holding him in place as he fought to stand upright. The force of whatever enchanted the tower came down on Jaehyun, curling up around his mind and holding it there, draining his energy and latching onto something deep within him. It was as if a cloud of pain and agony had fallen over his mind, different from the one he had felt in the stairwell. This cloud of pressure was all darkness, with long tendrils weaving through his mind and body as it squeezed and squeezed.

Jaehyun staggered forward, forcing his eyes to focus on Jungwoo. The other looked terrified and slowly stood up, reaching his own hand out as if to help Jaehyun. As soon as their hands clasped together, a small bit of energy returned to Jaehyun and he managed to yank Jungwoo to him. With everything that he had, he pushed against the pressure as he turned back to the still open door. 

It was as if they were moving in slow motion, stuck underwater as they slowly stepped toward the door. Jaehyun shook his head in an attempt to clear the pressure he felt on his mind. One look at Jungwoo told him there was nothing he could do to escape the horrible sensation but make it to the door.

With every step, the door seemed to get further and further away. Panic welled up within Jaehyun but he quickly pushed it down and focused as hard as he could.

“Stop.” He said weakly as he stared intensely at the door. “Come here.”

He clasped Jungwoo’s hand tighter as another wave of pressure fell down upon him. Shouting out, he immediately fell to his knees in pain. Jungwoo didn’t let go of him, and Jaehyun focused on the feeling of the other’s hand in his as he turned back to the door and glared as hard as he could. He staggered once more to his feet, Jungwoo was also standing, but swaying slightly as if he would faint at any moment.

“Come  _ here _ .” Jaehyun commanded to the door, clenching his bloodied fist and gritting his teeth.

The door, finally, seemed to listen and suddenly, he found himself one step from the threshold. With the little strength that remained, he shoved Jungwoo forward and through the door, the other landed in a heap on the floor. 

Jaehyun eagerly moved to follow but found something stopping him. It was as if an invisible shield had suddenly formed around the doorway, forbidding Jaehyun from leaving the room. Panic filled him as he pounded his fist on the invisible barrier. On the other side, Jungwoo shakily got to his feet, eyes wide in horror as he stared at Jaehyun. 

Another wave of pressure and Jaehyun fell once more to his knees; he leaned up against the barrier and choked back a sob. He couldn’t hear his heartbeat anymore over the sound of white noise in his head. The pressure, as if growing stronger by not dividing itself into torturing two separate people, wrapped its dark tendrils around his mind and squeezed.

He didn’t know if he was screaming as he rose his bloodied hand to the barrier and pressed his palm down. The overwhelming, horrible strength of whatever was in his mind flowed through him, and then tugged.

Weakly, he rested his forehead against the barrier and stared at the floor as it went in and out of focus. The pressure tugged and tugged like it was demanding something from him that he couldn’t give and he began to shake. Then, he felt something shift within him as if latching into place, and the pressure slowly released, uncurling delicately from the hold it had on him. The dark tendrils brushed lightly past the outer edges his mind as if saying a gentle farewell.

Suddenly, he fell forward, past the barrier and into the stairwell, the pressure instantly gone as he rested his cheek against the cool floor.

He wasn’t sure how long he laid there, breathless and panting on the floor. His mind was too tired to fully question what the hell was in that room. How long had that presence been in the west tower? Why was his father using magic if he hated it so much?

Shakily, he rose to his feet and turned to Jungwoo who was still staring wide-eyed at him. He gave the other the best smile that he could, one he knew was weak, and took off his cloak, holding it out.

“Here.”

Jungwoo blinked at him before taking the cloak and wrapping it around himself, covering the torn and bloodied clothes he was wearing. His fingers trembled as he clutched the cloak as if it would protect him. 

Jaehyun leaned down, his muscles screaming in pain, and picked up his fallen sword, the weight of it a familiar presence. The feeling of the sword in his hand brought him a little comfort as he fought to block out the panic of what had just happened. 

“We have to hurry.” He rasped, refusing to let himself dwell on just what was in that room.

Jungwoo nodded and followed Jaehyun down the stairwell, the pair stumbled down in the darkness, feet slipping against the stone steps. At the bottom of the stairs, Jaehyun stepped forward to the door and once again placed his bloodied hand over the mountain of Reinea. He had no time to think about how he had known what to do before the door obediently swung open.

Standing at the end of the hallway, were the two guards. Their expression shocked as they took in the sight of their prince standing beside the prisoner they had been charged to protect.

As quickly as he could, Jaehyun squared his shoulders and lifted his chin, attempting to look as princely as he could despite his ruffled appearance. He stepped into the hallway, reaching back with his injured hand to grasp Jungwoo’s own hand. The sting of the cut on his palm made him wince but he ignored it as he gently squeezed the other’s palm in reassurance.

“My Prince.” The first guard asked, eyes full of confusion. “What are you doing?”

Beside him, Jungwoo stiffened. Conflict filled Jaehyun; he had planned to talk his way out of any encounters with guards, but his disheveled and bloodied appearance was clear enough that he had broken Jungwoo out of the tower.

Jaehyun cleared his throat as he edged himself and Jungwoo forward a bit. “I was charged with transporting the prisoner.”

Immediately, he could tell the two guards hadn’t believed him as their eyes turned assessing and stances ready. He clutched his sword tighter in his hand, they had to get past the guards to get out of the west wing and escape. 

“We weren’t alerted of this.” The second guard said carefully, hand going to her own sword. “Perhaps we should get the King.”

A pang of panic went through Jaehyun. He didn’t want to kill these two guards, but they had seen him, they knew he was helping Jungwoo, and they would tell his father. Would he even be able to kill them if he had to? 

“There’s no need.” He shifted to put most of his body in front of Jungwoo. “My father knows what I’m doing.”

The two guards gazes were merciless as silence filled the hallway. A cool, warning breeze swept past them; Jungwoo shivered from his stance behind Jaehyun.

“Then you won’t mind if we summon him.”

Jaehyun gave an empty laugh. “My father isn’t one to be summoned.”

The first guard opened her mouth to speak again when suddenly, Yukhei walked into the hallway, steps quick and sure. Jaehyun’s heart dropped at the sight of his young guard.

Yukhei stopped in his steps, face going shocked as he took in the group standing in front of the red door. As the two guards turned to face him, he smoothed his face out into an expressionless mask.

“There you are, Your Highness.” He said, walking past the guards and stopping in front of Jaehyun; his eyes darted to the prisoner, eyes unreadable before resting once more on Jaehyun. “You were supposed to wait for me.”

Jaehyun squinted his eyes before comprehension dawned on him and he smiled apologetically. “I wasn’t sure where you had gone.” Jungwoo’s hand in his began to shake. “I was just going to transport the prisoner on my own, you know how impatient the general can be.”

Yukhei’s eyes twinkled as he nodded at him and then Jungwoo. He tilted his head slightly toward Jungwoo’s hands before taking the other’s wrists within his own and tugging him forward.

“I’ll hold the prisoner now.” Yukhei said to Jaehyun before turning back to the two guards who looked thoroughly confused.

Jaehyun smiled at them as he led Yukehi and Jungwoo down the hallway. “Excuse us.”

The guards parted to let them through, still staring as the trio turned the corner. No words were said as they all three quickly moved out of the west wing. All the other guards seemed to have disappeared, and Jaehyun assumed Yukhei had taken care of them.

As they exited the west wing, the music from the ballroom once again reached their ears as did the chatter of guests. There was no time for questions as Yukhei released Jungwoo from his hold.

“Pull the hood of your cloak up, both of you,” Yukhei said to them sternly, handing Jaehyun an identical black cloak to wear. “I have to get back to Johnny before he notices I’m gone.”

Jaehyun opened his mouth to ask Yukhei what he had been doing in the west wing when he heard a cluster of footsteps nearing them. The voices that followed down the hallway confirmed that it was a group of guards.

Yukhei quickly turned to Jaehyun, face as serious as ever. “You have to get him out.” 

A strong emotion had filled his voice and he glanced once more at Jungwoo before taking off down the hallway, in the direction of the group of guards. Jaehyun stood for a moment, astonished at what had just happened before turning back to Jungwoo who was staring after Yukhei with an unreadable expression.

“Come,” Jaehyun said quietly, already tugging Jungwoo the opposite way Yukhei had gone. “We have to go.”

The pair raced down the deserted hallways, pausing only to let guards pass them. Jungwoo limped as they ran, his breaths coming out as pants. Soon, they reached the courtyard and Jaehyun led Jungwoo to the wall he used to get out and into the city. 

“Through here.”

Voices of guards suddenly entered the courtyard and Jaehyun quickly pushed Jungwoo toward the small opening in the wall. Thankfully, the trees gave them enough cover to go unnoticed for the moment, but if one of the guards came close enough, they would see the two by the wall.

Jungwoo slipped through the wall, slowly and carefully as he was still extremely weak from the room. Jaehyun hesitated, he had planned to only take Jungwoo as far as this, but one look at the other’s weak frame told him he wouldn’t make it on his own.

Without a second thought, he slipped through the wall as well and landed on the other side. Jungwoo stood in front of him, cheeks flushed from running. The prisoner seemed as if he was about to collapse and Jaehyun quickly threw one of Jungwoo’s arms over his shoulders. 

Slowly, they began to make their way through the small patch of woods that were backed up to the wall. Following the familiar pathway meant that Jaehyun didn’t have to focus on where he was going; instead, he turned his attention to supporting Jungwoo’s body weight. His body screamed in protest, still drained from the force that had been in the room.

A cool breeze ruffled the leaves around them, the clouds overhead darkening as if affected by the pain the pair within the forest felt. In the distance, lightning crackled, and the day slowly began to shift into night.

Jaehyun racked his brain for what to do. He couldn’t leave Jungwoo in the woods, it was too close to the palace and he was too weak to survive alone. His mind went to the capital just past the woods. The only safe place he knew of was Yuta’s shop, and while he didn’t want to bring any trouble to Yuta, he knew the tailor was a part of the Phoenix. Surely it would make sense for Jungwoo, another Phoenix member, to go to Yuta’s shop. Perhaps Yuta would have a way for Jungwoo to contact his friends within the Phoenix and get help.

Finally, the trees cleared as they reached the outskirts of the small woods. A beautiful lake sat before them, one Jaehyun often spent his time at. He and Sicheng used to go to the lake with his mother, spending the day swimming and having fun. Seeing the lake filled him with a sense of safety. Gently, Jaehyun set Jungwoo down so that he could rest for a moment before they had to enter the city.

“Take a moment,” Jaehyun said as he adjusted his cloak around himself. “When we enter the city, you’ll have to walk on your own as to not raise suspicion.”

Jungwoo nodded and dropped his head into his hands, obviously trying to calm down his breathing. Jaehyun took a deep breath and looked toward the city. Just beyond the lake were the walls of the capital city, small and thin, with no purpose but to separate it from the palace and the woods. Once his father found out that Jungwoo was missing, he would send every guard he had after him.

“Where are you going, son?”

Jaehyun’s stomach dropped at the familiar voice, spoken out as if summoned. He slowly turned to see his father, flanked by a hoard of guards and standing at the edge of the woods. The King looked amused, but Jaehyun wasn’t fooled, he could see the fury bubbling beneath the mask of indifference. 

Somehow, his father had taken the main road that led from the palace to the capital and then split off to get to the lake, all without Jaehyun noticing. He had known exactly where they would be.

“What are you trying to do?” His father continued, eyes reduced to slits as he spoke.

Jaehyun was speechless as he felt Jungwoo pull himself up to stand beside him. The horror of seeing his father overwhelmed him. His father knew; he knew now that Jaehyun had helped Jungwoo escape, he felt nauseous as his father stared him down in disappointment.

“Surely,” The King said, taking a step forward. “You weren’t helping this  _ filth _ .”

Suddenly, Jaehyun became aware of the fact that they were surrounded. Guards stood on the other side of the lake as well as between them and the capital walls. As he took in the situation, a small group of guards approached them, swords ready in front of them. He looked to his left and saw Yukhei’s face among the group, full of sorrow and defeat.

Jaehyun took a deep breath and clutched his sword tighter before stepping in front of Jungwoo. The first guard was hesitant as he swung at Jaehyun, still seeing him as the Second Prince. Because of the hesitance, it was easy to disarm him. However, the second guard proved harder as her sword clanged against Jaehyun’s own.

Briefly, he registered another guard making his way toward Jungwoo. With a swift motion, he swiped at the second guard's leg, barely registering her cry of pain, and moved between Jungwoo and the third guard.

His father’s cold laughter rang out. “You would fight for this pathetic creature?”

Jaehyun glanced at Jungwoo as the prisoner reached down to pick up the fallen guard’s sword. The other guards had paused their advance at the King’s words.

He lifted his chin up, eyes defiant. “I fight to defend a Reinea citizen.”

Again, his father laughed, as did a few of the guards.

“This  _ thing _ is not a Reinea citizen, boy.” His father spat venomously. “It is an abomination of magic blood, it is a betrayal to our crown, it is the filth that is the Phoenix.”

The guard nearest to them snarled at Jungwoo and lunged. Without thought, Jaehyun swung out, deflecting the blade. Just as quickly, he jabbed up with his sword and cut into the guard’s side.

“You would spill blood, loyal Reinea blood, for  _ that _ ?” His father bellowed, stalking closer to where Jaehyun stood. 

Another guard started forward and Jungwoo suddenly intercepted their swing with one of his own, fighting with a swiftness not many held. His expression was one of determination, and he fought with the attitude of someone who desperately didn’t want to return to captivity.

The other guards seemed hesitant to strike Jaehyun himself, instead opting to swarm closer to the King. With a jolt, Jaehyun noticed Johnny standing among the guards, face grave as he stared at his prince. He quickly looked away from his friend and back to his father.

“He does not deserve to suffer simply because he has magic in his blood.” At Jaehyun’s words, his father recoiled. “He does not deserve to be tortured because he fights for a better life than what our kingdom offers him. He does not deserve to be imprisoned because he is a part of something good.”

The fighting around him stopped, faces turned to him all wearing shocked expressions. Even Johnny appeared astonished. Jaehyun could hear Jungwoo’s sharp intake of breath next to him, just as he could hear his father’s rage building.

“How  _ dare _ you.” His father hissed, a dangerous fire burning within his glare as he turned toward Johnny. “Seize them both.”

Immediately, the guards swarmed them. The vast number of them overwhelmed Jaehyun, and there was nothing he could do but attempt to fight them off as they closed in on him. A cry from Jungwoo reached his ears and he turned to see the other pushed onto the ground, held down by three separate guards. Jaehyun himself was quickly seized by the shoulders, his sword ripped from his grasp by strong hands.

His father stood over him, a wicked smile gleaming on his face. “You know Jaehyun, there was always something off about you.” Jaehyun pulled against the hold of the guard restraining him. “You were always too soft.”

Jaehyun glanced at Johnny who stood near Jungwoo, face grave as he glared down at the prisoner. He willed his friend to look at him to help him.

“Maybe we should change that, make you more like your brother, hm?” The King said mockingly as his gaze shifted to Jungwoo.

He made a gesture with his hand and the guard holding Jungwoo immediately pressed his face down into the mud; a strangled cry emitted from the prisoner. Jaehyun fought against the hold he was in as another guard stepped forward, sword gleaming in his hand.

“I don’t think,” His father said gleefully. “The prisoner will need his arm to answer our questions.”

Jaehyun could see tears streaking down Jungwoo’s face as another guard moved to hold him down. The guard holding Jaehyun tightened his grip on him as he struggled once more to break free.

“You will see that you have picked the wrong side to put your faith in.” The King said coldly as the guard knelt down beside Jungwoo. “This is happening because of you, Jaehyun.”

The blade neared Jungwoo’s right arm, and the guard holding him down pushed harder on one of his legs. A cracking noise sounded and then Jungwoo screamed, the shriek creating ripples the water. 

Something moved within Jaehyun and he desperately latched onto it. Suddenly, he was perfectly aware of all that was around him; he could feel the guards surrounding him, Johnny standing near Jungwoo, his father smiling wickedly, Jungwoo being pressed against the ground, and the lake behind him. White noise filled his head; the sound of rushing water consumed him until it was all he could think about.

“Do it.” His father hissed, his voice cutting through the steady pounding in Jaehyun’s head.

Jungwoo’s screams raised in volume; the sound in Jaehyun’s head abruptly quieted. And then, the lake exploded.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so bailey made me a map of the kingdoms and I'm going to link it!! as the story progresses and more locations are introduced, more will be added to the map! if you have any questions about it, let me know!! I hope you enjoyed this chapter :)  
> (also the video of yuta becoming the ambassador for phoenix.. he’s literally wearing a sash thingy that says phoenix kyanos yuta is shaking)
> 
> here's the [map](https://twitter.com/markscurls/status/1116394489222979586) of kyanos!


	8. Chapter 8

When Jaehyun was eight years old, he almost drowned.

He had been playing in the lake with Sicheng, his mother sitting on the grass nearby reading a book while the two kids were in the water. They were doing the game of who could hold their breath the longest underwater when Jaehyun’s foot got caught on something at the bottom of the lake. He had struggled to swim up to the surface, lungs burning and head woozy.

His mother had immediately jumped into the lake and saved him, quickly cutting the plant from its' clutches around Jaehyun’s ankle. 

Even after his near-death experience, Jaehyun had never been afraid of water. Not even when he had been trapped under the surface of it, he hadn’t been scared although he knew he could have died. Water brought him safety, it would protect him.

That feeling of drowning, as if he couldn’t breathe, filled him now. Blackness. He could see nothing, could feel nothing but that aching in his lungs that screamed at him to take a breath. Pressure on his head, in his chest, as if he had swallowed buckets of water. The same feeling he had when he had been drowning.

Then, something hit his chest. 

His father. Jungwoo. The lake. Didn’t something happen to the lake?

The ache subsided just a little. Another hit.

Did he do something to the lake? What had happened? He couldn’t remember, couldn’t really think of anything.

The pressure vanished. Another hit.

Jaehyun gasped for air as he lurched forward into a sitting position. He spat water out of his mouth, choking on it and groaning. Suddenly, hands were on his shoulders, pushing him back down. Without thinking, he swung out his fist, desperate to fight off whoever was restraining him. His fist was met with air, and a hand latched around his wrist to stop him.

“Jae!” Someone yelled. “Jae, calm down.”

At the words, Jaehyun’s vision cleared and he saw Yuta sitting in front of him, a cut on his cheek and hair drenched in water. He immediately went still and took in his surroundings; he was in Yuta’s room at his shop. 

“What,” Jaehyun coughed, his voice was raspy and broken sounding. “What happened?”

Yuta’s face contorted as if he didn’t know how to respond. 

“Where’s Jungwoo? Is he safe?” Jaehyun demanded, eyes searching the room frantically.

Wordlessly, Yuta nodded. His mouth opened and closed again as if he didn’t know what to say. Jaehyun let his eyes slide over to the other’s hurt cheek. Shakily, he raised his hand to touch the small cut, worry pulsing through him. He gently placed his hand next to the cut and shifted his eyes to look back at Yuta’s. 

“How long was I out?”

Yuta gave him a small smile, seeming to lean his cheek into Jaehyun’s hand. “Couple of hours.”

Suddenly, flashes of water and the guards’ screams filled his mind and he quickly shook his head. 

“What did I do?” Jaehyun asked, horror seeping into his voice.

Yuta looked at him sadly, raising his own hand to cover Jaehyun’s that was still on his cheek. Just before his hand made contact, the door opened and through it, came Johnny.

As soon as he registered who it was, Jaehyun dropped his hand and began to struggle to sit up again, yanking out of Yuta’s hold.

“What is he doing here?”

Johnny looked hurt at Jaehyun’s venomous words as he stopped in his tracks. Jaehyun felt no guilt; flashes of his guard, his friend, standing by as Jaehyun had fought to protect Jungwoo played through his mind. 

Yuta coughed awkwardly and gestured to Johnny. “He’s a member of the Phoenix.”

Stunned, Jaehyun whipped his head to the side to stare at Yuta. “That’s impossible,” He rasped. “Johnny was my guard, he has been for-”

“For years right?” Yuta cut in gently. “We put him there.”

Jaehyun tilted his head in question, looking back at Johnny who had moved closer. The other looked completely exhausted, his hair also wet and stuck to his forehead.

“What do you mean?” Jaehyun whispered to Johnny, completely forgetting Yuta who was still sitting next to him as he focused on his friend.

Johnny ducked his head. “I’m a Phoenix spy,” Jaehyun looked down at his hands, twisted together. “I was in the position of your guard so that I could collect information.”

The room was silent as Jaehyun stared blankly, unable to look at Johnny. He blinked back tears. If Johnny was a Phoenix spy, then he had gotten close to Jaehyun not because he cared for him but because he had wanted to find out more information. Their friendship had never been real.

Johnny knew too much about Jaehyun; he had been his guard for years. He had covered for him when he had gone out into the capital, had comforted him when he had nightmares, had taught him how to fight. Tears stung Jaehyun’s eyes; he had considered Johnny one of his closest friends. A true friendship was hard for him to find as the Prince. Discovering that one of his most treasured friendships had never been real, hurt him more than he could’ve ever thought.

Jaehyun wanted to yell; he wanted to scream and cry but found that he had no energy. His body was unresponsive, completely drained from the tower and whatever had happened at the lake.

Johnny looked as if he wanted to say more, his eyes shining in the lamplight, but Jaehyun cleared his throat and looked back at Yuta.

“Where’s Jungwoo?”

Yuta and Johnny exchanged a look at his question, and Jaehyun felt annoyance creep up within him. He quickly pushed himself off the bed, swaying on his feet when his head spun. Yuta’s hand on his elbow and another on his back steadied him. 

“Careful.” Yuta said lowly, his breath tickling the back of Jaehyun’s neck.

Jaehyun shivered before stepping away from the other, his heart racing. Yuta gave him a soft smile before taking his hand and leading him out of the bedroom. 

The bright light of the shop filled his vision, causing him to wince. The shop was clean, everything put away nicely, presumably from when Yuta had left for the palace. In a chair against the far wall sat Jungwoo, his head hung down and shoulders slumped. 

A flash of Jungwoo sitting in the same position up in the west tower reached Jaehyun and he fought to push down the involuntary terror that rose up within him. They were away from the tower and whatever magical force was guarding it; they were safe here. 

At the approaching steps, Jungwoo lifted his head. His expression was unreadable as he studied Jaehyun, eyes roaming his face. Jaehyun noticed a bandage on his arm, wrapped tightly to prevent bleeding. His stomach lurched as Jungwoo’s screams from the lake replayed in his mind.

After a moment of silence, Jungwoo smiled at Jaehyun and patted the chair next to him. Jaehyun returned the smile and sat quickly, letting go of Yuta.

“How are you?”

Jungwoo only shrugged at Jaehyun’s question as Yuta spoke up. “We stopped the bleeding on his arm,” He looked tiredly at Johnny. “Luckily it’s just a cut, not deep enough to cause long term damage.”

Jaehyun nodded as he stared at the floor. So many questions were racing through his head. What had happened at the lake? How was Yuta here? Why had Johnny been placed in the palace as a spy? 

Dread automatically filled him as he thought of his best friend alone in the palace. “We have to go get Sicheng.”

The three Phoenix members looked up at him; Johnny’s looked guilty, and Yuta had a carefully blank expression.

“He isn’t safe,” Jaehyun continued, his words becoming frantic. “My father and brother could hurt him.”

Yuta moved closer to him, eyes now gentle. “He’ll be alright. Johnny wasn’t the only Phoenix spy in the palace.”

Horror filling through his chest, Jaehyun jerked his head up. Learning Johnny was a spy was hard enough but if Sicheng was one too…

Yuta must’ve read his expression because he quickly shook his head. “No not Sicheng, he has no connection to the Phoenix as far as I know.” He glanced at Johnny. “I was meaning that there are Phoenix spies that will look out for him.”

Jaehyun instantly relaxed, slumping in his chair as his energy drained once again. He was still worried for Sicheng, despite Yuta’s reassurances. His father could be cruel with prisoners, and Sicheng was likely to receive some sort of negative treatment for Jaehyun’s departure. Sicheng could look after himself though; Yixing, Kun, and Yukhei would make sure he stayed safe too.

Still, if anything happened to Sicheng, Jaehyun would never forgive himself. He would find a way to get him out of the palace. 

Silence filled the room as Johnny sorted through a bundle of cloaks. The patter of rain could be heard from outside, hitting against the roof.

“It appears,” Yuta suddenly started, voice wavering slightly. “That you have some magic blood in you.”

Automatically, Jaehyun stiffened, the abrupt change in conversation filling him with terror. He had already assumed that he did, how else did he cause the lake to literally explode. Still, hearing himself being called something that his family hated so much made dread fill him.

“Do you remember what happened?” Yuta asked bluntly as he leaned up against the nearest table.

Jaehyun closed his eyes. “I remember Jungwoo screaming, and my father,” He swallowed thickly. “The King laughing. After that, I don’t really know. All I know is that I felt a pull to the lake and then everything was gone.”

Yuta nodded, exchanging a worried look with Johnny and gesturing for the other to speak. 

“The water from the lake just went everywhere; it knocked out a lot of the guards, drowned some others.” Jaehyun’s stomach lurched at Johnny’s words. “The ones it didn’t take out, ran, including the King.”

Johnny pushed his hand through his wet hair. “It hit me, not too hard, but it hit me. By the time I came to my senses, Yuta was there carrying you and yelling at me to get Jungwoo.”

Jaehyun shifted his gaze to the tailor who was looking at him with an unreadable expression. He wondered where Yuta had been hiding during the confrontation. 

“I don’t know how I did it.” Jaehyun rasped out.

Yuta nodded understandingly, eyes surprisingly soft. “That’s where the next part comes in.” His gaze remained unwavering on Jaehyun. “There’s a Phoenix safe house only a little ways away, my friend lives there. Taeil can help us figure out what happened at the lake. If we can get to that house, we can recover and figure out what to do next.”

Jaehyun knew it was highly unsafe to be in the capital; his father would tear it down brick by brick until he found them. 

He tilted his head slightly, mind sticking to whoever Taeil was. “How is your friend going to help me?”

Again, Yuta and Johnny shared a glance. “He has a way.”

The vagueness bothered Jaehyun and Yuta must’ve noticed; his voice was firm and unyielding as he spoke. “We can’t tell you too much, you understand why.”

Of course. It would be careless of them to share every single Phoenix secret so easily. Jaehyun was still the second prince, still his father’s son. Why should he expect them to trust him so easily? He pushed down the bitterness rising within him as he glared down at his ring.

From the chair beside him, Jungwoo shifted forward, his eyes focused on a spot on the far wall. Jaehyun observed him; the other was a bit odd. He didn’t think he remembered ever hearing his voice.

On the other side of the room, Yuta and Johnny were conversing in low tones. Jaehyun understood why they would need to keep their plans away from him, but he wasn’t sure why Jungwoo wasn’t included. The way the other two Phoenix members acted around the prisoner almost made it seem like they were strangers. 

The thought shocked Jaehyun; if they didn’t know Jungwoo, the Phoenix was bigger than he had originally thought. How long had it been rising?

“How are we gonna get out of the city?” Jaehyun finally asked quietly, tired of not knowing what was happening.

Surely there were guards crawling throughout the entire city, all on the lookout for them.

“A friend of mine gave me a charm that will change the features of whoever is holding it.” In his gloved hand, Yuta held up a small silver coin which seemed to gleam under the lamplight. 

“But there’s four of us.”

Johnny looked up from the cloaks. “The King likely doesn’t realize I’m gone yet, and therefore, neither do the other guards. As for Yuta, they’re also unaware of his involvement. To the King, he’s just a tailor who worked in the palace for the wedding and has now returned home to the city. I doubt he even knows Yuta exists.”

Jaehyun nodded along as Johnny turned his gaze toward him. “You may be a bit of a problem though.” His gaze was assessing. “While it’s true no commoners know your appearance, some of the guards may be from the palace and recognize you. But we have to give the charm to Jungwoo, his wanted picture is up all over the city.”

As he spoke, he held up a paper with a drawing of Jungwoo on it. 

Suddenly, Jungwoo’s appearance began to alter. The baby fat on his cheeks disappeared, thinning his face out and making him appear older than all of them. His hair grew out longer and became a dark blue, hanging over his eyes completely. He grew taller too, and his features shifted slightly, making him look like almost a completely different person.

The three stared shocked at Jungwoo who only smiled in return.

Yuta coughed, eyes still wide. “You’re a shifter.”

Jungwoo nodded in response, a smirk overtaking his face. It was odd seeing him look so much older than them now.

"And Taeil took your voice?" 

Jungwoo nodded again at Yuta's words. Jaehyun cocked his head in confusion. 

Upon seeing his furrowed brows Yuta simply smiled at him. “Magic thing.” 

It was frustrating how little he knew about magic, he hadn’t realized how much he had been sheltered from it until now. The only things he truly knew was that magic was hereditary, passed down through blood and that was why blood magic was so dangerous. He shivered as he remembered the panic that had filled him when he had thought the assassins may use blood magic. 

Out of everything his father talked about, he only discussed the dark side of magic; blood magic specifically. Looking at Jungwoo’s new appearance reminded Jaehyun just how little he understood about the world of magic.

Maybe once they reached this safe house, Yuta would explain magic more in-depth to Jaehyun. But now, they were running out of time.

“Well, I guess you don’t need that charm then,” Yuta said in an amused tone. “Jaehyun, you take it.”

Obediently, Jaehyun stepped forward, holding his hand out to grasp the small coin Yuta was holding. As soon as his skin touched the cool surface, a shock went through him, traveling up through his body. His face began to tingle as the feeling of magic filled him. He quickly closed his eyes, pushing away the panic of knowing magic was being used on him.

When he reopened his eyes, Johnny was standing in front of him, a longing look painted on his face. Confused, Jaehyun walked to a nearby mirror and observed his new appearance. Despite the fact that he was being charmed to escape, his new appearance didn’t seem like it would protect him from attention. His features were ridiculously handsome, with wide eyes and flushed cheeks. His normally plain brown hair was now a brilliant red and his eyebrow had a cut in it. Definitely not blended in.

“That fucker made it look like himself.”

Yuta’s words startled him, and he looked over to see the other scowling. Johnny seemed to shake out of whatever trance he had been in, turning away from Jaehyun to rustle through one of the bags. 

Jaehyun opened his mouth to question what Yuta was talking about but was cut off by Johnny’s stern voice. “Jaehyun, you’re with Yuta.” 

Wordlessly, Jaehyun moved to pick up the grey cloak that sat on a nearby table. He pulled the hood over his bright red hair, attempting to conceal it as best he could.

Yuta and Johnny were conversing silently in the corner again, heads bent together. Jaehyun quickly shifted his gaze to Jungwoo who was staring blankly at the ground, his eyes glazed over.

A shiver ran through the other. Jungwoo still looked a bit like himself but older, as if he had aged a few years. Yuta had called him a shifter; did that mean not all magic blooded people had the ability to change their appearance as Jungwoo did?

“Here,” Yuta said, walking quickly over to Jaehyun. “Just follow me and we’ll meet up with the other two at Taeil’s place.”

Jaehyun nodded in understanding, tugging the hood over his eyes more before following Yuta out the front door. It was night outside, the air cool and the full moon shining above. They stepped out into the alley, one Jaehyun recognized from when he had been running from assassins when he had met Yuta. 

Without looking behind him, Jaehyun followed the tailor, steps silent on the cobblestone ground. They wove through alleys, taking sharp turns every so often. Finally, they reached one of the main streets, still bustling with people despite the late time of night. 

Yuta moved closer to him as a guard wearing an orange cloak passed by. Despite the feeling of worry that filled him, Jaehyun knew that only the palace guards would be looking for him, and therefore he only had to look out for the red cloaked guards. His father wouldn’t want the entire kingdom to know of his son’s treachery. 

In the distance, Jaehyun could hear music being played, likely in celebration of the Crown Prince’s wedding. The crowd of commoners immediately began to thicken, as if drawn by the playful music. 

Jaehyun grabbed Yuta’s hand, letting the other pull him through the throngs of people. A little girl looked up at him, eyes curious and wide. He resisted the urge to hide his face even more; he was okay, he didn’t even look like himself.

“Shit.” Yuta hissed.

The wall was heavily guarded, red cloaks swarmed the bottom, looking like blood seeping out onto the ground. Jaehyun quickly looked around, searching for a part of the wall that would be clear but finding none.

“How are we going to get through?” He asked softly.

Yuta looked down at their intertwined hands before glancing back up at the wall. With a deep breath, he pulled Jaehyun with him toward the horde of guards. Jaehyun could feel his heartbeat speed up as the guards looked at them, automatically going on alert. 

“What business do you have?” The nearest one asked coldly, his thick mustache wiggling in a way that resembled a worm.

Yuta lifted his chin. “We’re going to visit my family.”

“No one’s leaving the capital tonight, boy.” The guard’s voice was rough and unyielding. “King’s orders.”

Around them, the guards seemed to become interested in the two travelers, crowding closer to see what the commotion was about.

“But we really must get through.” Yuta furrowed his brow. “They’ll be waiting for me.”

The guards around them laughed, one pulling out his sword and sauntered closer. “Then they’ll have to wait a bit more.”

Panic began to rise within Jaehyun; it wasn’t going to be easy to get past these guards and the wall. They couldn’t simply fight them all. His hand drifted to his sword hilt, hidden under the grey cloak he wore. 

“Why?” Yuta asked, voice hot with annoyance.

Jaehyun resisted the urge to groan; Yuta’s stubbornness was going to get them in trouble.

The guard narrowed his eyes. “Because the King said so.” A few more guards had wondered over now. “Actually, we’re looking for someone, you wouldn’t happen to be able to help us would you?”

Yuta tensed, his hand clenched Jaehyun’s own. “Who are you looking for?”

The guard smiled, his yellowed teeth on full display as he opened his mouth to respond. Suddenly, another voice cut him off.

“Guards! Over here!”

Immediately the guard talking to them raised his head, taking in who was yelling at him. At the end of the street stood Nayoung, the Avon ambassador.

She was wearing her lavish blue gown from the wedding and looked rushed as if she had hurried out to the capital. Jaehyun tilted his head; why was she in the capital anyway?

“I saw the Prince.” Nayoung yelled down at them, voice loud and clear.

A few guards ran over to her, but the one in front of them stayed. “How?” He demanded.

Nayoung seemed to resist rolling her eyes. “He came to me, asked if Avon would help him. He’s down in an alleyway over here.”

More guards ran toward her, all following where she was pointing, including the one that was talking to them. With the guards distracted, Yuta pulled Jaehyun to the wall. The pair slipped past the few guards that remained, who were all watching Nayoung.

Just as they slipped through the gate, Jaehyun thought he saw Nayoung wink at him.

Outside the wall, the pair began to run, cloaks fanning out behind them. No one seemed to be following them but they had to be safe. The forest spanned out in front of them, and they cut into it quickly, avoiding the open land to the left. 

Eventually, they made it far enough within the trees that they had to slow down; it would be disastrous to trip over one of the large roots and get injured. They hadn’t taken the main road, wanting to avoid curious travelers and searching guards. Instead, they traveled in the deepest part of the forest, the only source of light came from the bright full moon. 

Jaehyun’s breaths came out in short puffs; his chest rising and falling rapidly. A trickle of sweat ran down the side of his face and he irritably swiped at it with his sleeve. Beside him, Yuta had his arms above his head and appeared to be trying to slow his heart rate down.

For a while, the pair walked in silence before Jaehyun couldn’t take it anymore. His mind was screaming questions at him.

“How do you think they got out?” 

He had been worrying about Johnny and Jungwoo the entire time they had been running. It was a stroke of luck that Nayoung had been there and helped them. The other two might not get so lucky.

Yuta smiled and brushed a strand of jet black hair from his eyes; Jaehyun’s eyes followed the movement. “Johnny’s smart, he’ll figure it out.”

Jaehyun’s gut twisted. In the distance, a wolf howled to the full moon. 

“You know Johnny pretty well then?”

Yuta looked at him, a trace of what looked like guilt painted on his face, and nodded. “Johnny and I go pretty far back.” He stepped over a protruding root. “He’s a valuable piece of the Phoenix.”

Jaehyun swallowed bitterly. A bad taste filled his mouth as he glanced through the branches and up at the stars. The stars sparkled in the night sky, shining almost as brightly as the moon. The fact that Johnny was a spy still hadn’t quite hit him, the hurt he felt from it had become numb. 

He looked back down, eyes sweeping over Yuta’s form. “But you don’t know Jungwoo.”

It was a statement, not a question, and it seemed to surprise Yuta. Did the other believe Jaehyun wasn’t observant? That he hadn’t noticed anything? The idea irked Jaehyun; just because he was royalty did they all assume he was stupid?

Yuta gave him a soft smile as if knowing what he was thinking. “No, I don’t,” A breeze ruffled the leaves of the trees softly. “Jungwoo’s role doesn’t often intercept with mine.”

The vague response rattled within Jaehyun’s mind as he fought to bury his irritation. Instead, he focused on his curiosity. Longing to understand just how the Phoenix worked filled him. He had always assumed that it was just a giant mass of magic blooded people, all opposing the King. Since he had woken up in Yuta’s shop, he had learned the Phoenix went much deeper than that.

“Here,” Yuta reached forward, taking the charmed coin from Jaehyun’s palm. “You don’t need this anymore.”

Immediately, his face tingled again and the feeling of magic left him. Without having to look, he knew that he looked like himself again.

Yuta grinned. “Now you’re you.”

For some reason, Jaehyun found himself fighting off a blush. It was slightly startling how nice Yuta was being to him, but then again, the other had always been confusing. Mind racing, he looked down at the ground as he carefully stepped over another root.

Suddenly, Yuta tensed up, stopping quickly in his tracks. Jaehyun stopped as well and was about to speak when Yuta held up his hand to his ear. Confused, Jaehyun listened. At first, he only heard the rustle of the leaves in the wind and the sounds of distant animals. But soon he heard it; the sound of footsteps.

Yuta quickly grabbed Jaehyun’s wrist, pulling him forward so that he was up against a tree with Yuta’s back pressed to his chest. The footsteps grew closer and then stopped, just mere steps away from them.

Jaehyun held his breath; his heart thumped dangerously in his chest.

“Where are you, little ones?”

The voice was high pitched and raspy as if it was clawing its’ way out of whatever throat it came from. The hair on the back of Jaehyun’s neck raised. In front of him, Yuta moved slowly, like a predator stalking its prey.

“I know you’re out here,” The voice continued, moving even closer. “Heard you walk right past my house, yes I did.”

The voice held out the last word, the scratching noise echoed throughout the forest.

Yuta shifted forward again and Jaehyun reached out, his hand grasping desperately at the other’s cloak. 

“Close your eyes.”

Jaehyun opened his mouth to protest the other’s command but Yuta’s eyes were pleading, the fire within them burning so brightly that it was almost blinding. Vaguely, he registered Yuta begin to take his gloves off before he obediently closed his eyes.

Yuta’s body heat disappeared, and for a moment, everything was silent except the pounding of Jaehyun’s heart. Then suddenly, a shriek, and then the smell of something burning. Jaehyun resisted the urge to open his eyes, Yuta’s words filling his head.

Another whimper and then nothing. Silence again. Not able to resist any longer, Jaehyun slowly opened his eyes and saw Yuta standing over something on the ground. As if sensing his gaze, Yuta quickly moved back over to him. His gloves were on again.

Jaehyun stared in horror at the lump on the ground, covered by Yuta’s cloak. “What was that?”

Yuta shook his head, his face pale as he helped Jaehyun to his feet. “Something full of dark magic.”

A shiver went down Jaehyun’s spine at the words. Dark magic. When the King had banned magic, he had forced all of the magical creatures within Reinea back into the unclaimed land next to the kingdom. How could one of dark magic be a forest so close to the palace?

“Not all magical creatures are bad, but this one was,” Yuta said, his voice shaking. “There shouldn’t be anymore. It would’ve scared everything else off.”

Jaehyun shivered, not wanting to think about what exactly the thing was. He couldn’t imagine having to travel through the forest when they were full of magical creatures. Still, he kept his hand resting lightly on the hilt of his sword; he didn’t want to take any chances especially after that thing.

They started to walk again; both of them scanning the darkness for more unwelcome visitors. Jaehyun glanced down again at Yuta’s gloved hands; what had the other done to kill the dark creature?

“So you’re magic blood?” 

Yuta tripped a little at the sudden question but quickly straightened himself up. “I am.”

His response was strained, the words clipped. His face had closed off as if he expected Jaehyun to curse at him or ask him more questions.

Silence filled the space between them as Jaehyun struggled with how to respond. He wanted to know more about magic and why Yuta would need his friend to charm the coin if he himself also had magic blood. He wanted to know what Yuta had done when he had closed his eyes. But the look on Yuta’s face told him he wouldn’t get any answers yet. Sighing to himself, he forced a small smile on his face.

“Ditto I guess.”

Yuta’s face filled with surprise before he snorted, his hand going up to cover his smile. Jaehyun found himself beaming in response, proud he had caused such a reaction from the other. 

Around them, the trees swayed with the wind. There was a gentle rustling of leaves to their right as a small animal ran by. The peacefulness of the air wrapped around Jaehyun, making him feel safe and brave.

“Why are you helping me?” Jaehyun asked quickly before he could stop himself. 

The question had been bothering him since he had woken up in Yuta’s shop. He wasn’t part of the Phoenix; he wasn’t even sure if Yuta liked him. 

“Well, you helped Jungwoo escape.” Yuta started slowly as if he was picking his words carefully. “Besides, we couldn’t just leave you to face the wrath of the King.”

The tone of his voice made Jaehyun feel as if the other wasn’t telling the complete truth. Sure, he had helped Jungwoo, but he was still the Second Prince of Reinea. It was a risky move to bring him along. 

He opened his mouth to push further, and Yuta must’ve noticed because he hurriedly blurted out. “How did you get Jungwoo out?”

Jaehyun felt his own smile drop abruptly from his face. Images of the red door flashed before his eyes, the feeling of panic rising up from within him. He tensed his body, fist clenched as a cold sensation fell over him.

Yuta’s hand on his shoulder broke him out of his trance. He blinked quickly, face heating up from embarrassment. Yuta’s eyes were full of worry as they darted around his face, assessing him.

“I’m sorry I didn’t mean to-”

Yuta cut him off with a small shushing noise, his hand moving to take Jaehyun’s. For a moment, they stood like that in the middle of the woods, gazing at each other. 

Another nearby howl shook Yuta out of whatever he had been doing and he glanced over his shoulder.

“We should keep moving.” He whispered, voice cutting through the air like a knife. “You don’t need to tell me right now anyway.”

The other’s gentle voice calmed Jaehyun. He focused on the leather of Yuta’s gloves against his own palm, and of the feeling of the other’s fingers intertwined with his own. 

The night was cold, the chill seeped through Jaehyun's gray cloak and wedding clothes, and filled his chest. All through the night, they traveled, weaving between trees, eyes fixed on the ground. No other person followed them and no animal bothered them. Jaehyun could hear creatures passing by in the trees, their growls always making him tense. The voice of that thing flashed through his mind, but one squeeze from Yuta’s hand and he relaxed; Yuta was of magic blood, he was safe.

Soon, Jaehyun’s feet began to drag and his body felt heavy with tiredness. The small bit of rest he had gotten in Yuta’s shop barely seemed to have helped.

Eventually, the forest came to an end, backing right up to a small village. The sun was just peaking over the horizon, filling the sky with beautiful pinks and oranges. Yuta pulled Jaehyun toward the village, which had begun to slowly wake up. 

A small market was open, full of freshly baked bread and other foods that made Jaehyun’s stomach grumble. No guards were in sight, only three armed villagers stood at the edges of the village, likely placed there to protect the people from the wild animals in the forest. The nearest one smiled brightly at Yuta and Jaehyun as they passed her.

Few people paid attention to them, likely used to travelers passing through. Jaehyun took in the village, his eyes watering slightly as he realized that these were his people. It was his first time away from the palace and the capital.

Yuta leaned close to whisper in his ear. “Taeil lives just past this village.”

Jaehyun nodded, not fully paying attention. Instead, he watched the people of Reinea. A group of children ran past, playing tag in the early morning breeze. A large woman was opening up her shop down the road, smiling joyfully at every person that passed by.

When they reached the end of the village, Jaehyun almost asked if they could stay. The atmosphere was safe and welcoming, something he hadn’t experienced in the capital or palace. Yuta, as if sensing his desire, gave him a sad smile.

“Maybe one day you can come back here,” Yuta said as they stepped into the forest again. 

A breeze swept through the trees, shaking down leaves that fell delicately around them. Jaehyun looked back at the village, his eyes shining as he nodded.

Maybe when that day came, Jaehyun would understand more about who he was. He would have answers; he would know what he had done at the lake and how he had done it. He would have learned more about the Phoenix, about Johnny and Yuta and Jungwoo. He would have met the mysterious Taeil and Taeyong. Maybe when that day came, Jaehyun would be the person he had always longed to be.

But for now, he simply turned his back to the village and followed Yuta to Taeil’s cottage. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> next chapter will explain how magic works in this universe:) and we’ll meet new characters!!  
> also i usually try to update every 2 weeks, and because of that the next update falls right in the middle of my exams. so for the next update, it might be a little later:(


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> there's a wound and blood mentioned in the chapter just fyi!!

The cottage was nestled between two large trees with branches that hung down as if to shield the small building from view. It sat on the edge of a clearing that opened up from the forest, and the sunlight shone in through the leaves in patches. 

Jaehyun felt nervous as he trailed after Yuta to the front door of the cottage. He had no idea what was waiting for him inside. Would Taeil be an old warrior, aged with years of experiencing hard battles? Would he be a wise fortune teller, eyes alight with knowledge?

The leaves crackled beneath his boots, loudly sounding throughout the silent clearing. The walls of the cottage were stone, laid down carefully in the mud. Vines and other plants grew through the cracks, covering the surface of the place in various colors of green.

Yuta glanced at him over his shoulder, smirking slightly. “Why are you so slow?”

Jaehyun frowned but sped up to match Yuta’s strides. His eyes roamed the clearing, body still tense from their earlier encounter with the dark creature. 

Carefully, Yuta moved up the three small steps that led to the front door, the stone wobbling dangerously beneath his weight. Just as he raised his hand to knock, the door swung open. Jaehyun’s heart beat loudly in his chest as he peered over Yuta’s shoulder.

In the doorway, stood a shorter man, his hair cropped short on the sides and eyes alert. His features were incredibly handsome, his lips pulled up in a soft smile as he stared at Yuta. An array of necklaces sat around his neck, so many that Jaehyun couldn’t focus on one. His green robes were faded with use and his tunic was half undone as if he had rushed to put it on.

“Taeil.” Yuta breathed out happily.

The man, Taeil, grasped Yuta’s outstretched hand immediately, face full of relief. 

For a moment, the pair stared at each other before Taeil turned his attention to Jaehyun. His eyes scanned Jaehyun’s form, taking in his muddied cloak and sweat-stained shirt. Jaehyun shifted nervously; there was something about Taeil’s eyes, piercing and assessing, that made Jaehyun feel as if the other knew everything about him.

“I see you found it.” Taeil said, his voice softer than Jaehyun had thought it would be.

Yuta nodded, reaching back to grasp Jaehyun’s arm. Taeil looked at Jaehyun again, brow furrowed before turning back to Yuta. 

“You’re the first to arrive,” He stepped to the side, gesturing for the pair to enter his cottage. “The others aren’t here yet.”

Jaehyun followed Yuta through the door and was immediately hit with a sense of relaxation. The air within the cottage was warm and homey, seeping down into his bones. 

The room they had stepped into was large; a fireplace that was lit sat in the back corner with an old blue couch and a few armchairs placed in front of it. To the left was a small, makeshift kitchen full of pots and pans. 

Taeil led them to the fireplace, his necklaces clinking softly with each step. Jaehyun’s eyes wandered, taking in the table that was full of books and plants. To his right, was a door leading into another room.

“Here.” Taeil said softly as he took their cloaks and handed them knitted blankets.

Jaehyun smiled gratefully and wrapped the blanket around himself. For a moment, they sat in front of the fire in silence, Taeil sitting in the nearest armchair as the other two rested on the couch.

Finally, Yuta spoke up, voice full of worry. “They should be here by now.”

Jaehyun started, his mind going to Johnny and Jungwoo. They had split up with the other two in order to safely get out of the capital and make it to Taeil’s cottage. He hoped that they hadn’t had any ugly encounters with a dark creature as he and Yuta had.

“I’m sure they’re nearby.” 

Jaehyun looked up from where he had been staring at his hands and made eye contact with Taeil. The other was gazing at him, a strange look overtaking his features. 

Yuta seemed to notice. “This is Jae,” He said softly. “I think you know why he’s here.”

Taeil hummed, his eyes never leaving Jaehyun. “Indeed.”

Jaehyun’s eyebrows furrowed; he didn’t understand what Yuta was talking about, or why Taeil kept looking at him. All he knew was that Yuta had promised him that Taeil would give him answers.

“You have magic blood.” Taeil stated suddenly.

It wasn’t a question. Jaehyun nodded, still confused.

A smile spread across Taeil’s features. “It’s strong.”

“How do you know that?”

The smile on Taeil’s face grew but he didn’t answer.

Beside him, Yuta laughed softly. “Oh, stop being so cryptic,” He shifted to look at Jaehyun. “Taeil can sense magic.”

Jaehyun tilted his head, thoughts racing. He had thought that everyone who possessed magic blood had the same abilities. Most of what he had witnessed were charms and potions, small but dangerous things. Jungwoo and now Taeil challenged this belief.

He opened his mouth, maybe to ask what exactly that meant, but Taeil beat him to it.

“I assume you two need some rest?”

Jaehyun deflated, he wanted to receive answers as soon as possible, but his body was so tired. Beside him, Yuta nodded almost too eagerly. 

Taeil smiled, his hand straying up to lightly touch one of his necklaces. “Let me show you where you will sleep.” He stood up. “I’ll stay up for the others.”

Jaehyun obediently followed Taeil to the door that led to a smaller room. Inside, was a bedroom. There was a small bed in the corner, resembling the one Yuta had in his shop, and a mirror beside it. Against the walls were stacks and stacks of books; the sight reminded Jaehyun of Sicheng. 

“Sorry for the limited space,” Taeil didn’t seem embarrassed at all as he picked up a nearby book. “You two can rest here until morning.”

Immediately, Jaehyun’s face burned with the idea of sharing the small bed with Yuta but he nodded. 

Taeil suddenly turned to him, the book still in hand. “Tomorrow, you’ll get some answers, Jae.”

Startled, Jaehyun returned the smile, only relaxing once Taeil had left the room and softly shut the door. What a strange person.

For a moment, there was silence, before Yuta sighed and flopped down on the bed. “I can’t feel my legs.”

Jaehyun giggled at the other’s words and began to take off his dirty boots. As carefully as he could, he moved to the large mirror. He wasn’t surprised that he looked like himself again, but his reflection still startled him. The hair that fell across his forehead was matted, the wedding clothes he still wore were damp with sweat and sticking to his collarbones. Dirt smeared across his face, evidence of his travels. He didn’t look like a prince at all.

A sigh behind him caused him to turn around, ripping his eyes from his reflection. Yuta had gotten comfortable in the bed, his boots on the floor and shirt carefully folded beside them. The other quirked an eyebrow at him.

“Well come on,” He patted the space next to him. “I assume you’re just as tired as I am.”

Jaehyun blushed again but moved onto the bed as well, settling down beside Yuta. He was careful to keep space between their bodies.

He felt dirty and gross and in desperate need of a bath, but as soon as his head hit the pillow, his eyes became heavy. Drowsiness overtook him and all of his thoughts shut off as he drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

 

\---

 

Johnny looked like complete and utter shit. 

The guard stood panting in the doorway to Taeil’s cottage, his cloak ripped in half and hair a tangled mess on his head. Jungwoo was heavily supporting the other’s weight, but obviously struggling a bit.

Jaehyun had woken up to pounding at the door to the cottage. Thinking the worst, he had scrambled out of bed and raced out of the room, leaving a disheveled Yuta behind. 

As soon as Jaehyun registered who was standing at the door, he moved forward to help. He grunted a bit under the weight of Johnny but straightened up, smiling briefly at Jungwoo who looked just as exhausted.

“What happened?”

Yuta’s worry-filled question followed them as Jaehyun carefully led Johnny over to the couch by the fire that was somehow, still going from the night before. 

Glancing back, Jaehyun saw a shirtless Yuta carefully checking Jungwoo for any injuries. Despite the situation, Jaehyun found himself fighting off a blush.

“Ran into some guards in the forest.” Johnny gasped out. “Wasn’t expecting it.”

Jaehyun grimaced as Johnny fell onto the couch. Blood smeared the cushions, turning to a dull brown on the blue fabric.

Groaning, Johnny looked back at Taeil, who was hovering near them, and then pointed to Jungwoo. Sighing, Taeil stepped forward, mumbling something under his breath before moving away and disappearing into the bedroom.

Jungwoo blinked before clearing his throat. “We got out of the capital just fine.”

The other’s soft voice startled Jaehyun and he looked wildly around the room. Yuta met his gaze, barely concealed amusement written on his face. At Yuta’s shop, Johnny and Yuta had mentioned something about Taeil taking Jungwoo’s voice. Jaehyun guessed that Taeil had just given it back.

“I can only assume that some guards trailed us,” Jungwoo continued, brow furrowed as he looked at Johnny. “Suddenly, four had surrounded us. They didn’t seem to realize who we were, just that we had left the capital and no one was allowed to.”

Johnny groaned again from his position on the couch, face scrunched up in pain. Jaehyun watched as the other lifted his shirt to reveal a painful looking gash on his side. Blood pooled from the injury, flowing down onto the couch even more. 

Suddenly, Taeil appeared at his side, hands full of bandages and cloth. A bucket of water sat beside him and the other quickly got to work tending to Johnny’s injury. The way in which he treated the wound made it look as if it wasn’t his first time mending such an injury.

“How’d you two get away?” Yuta asked softly from his position in the nearest chair.

“Johnny’s talented in fighting, I didn’t realize how good he was.” Jungwoo’s voice was full of awe. “He managed to injure each of them enough to make sure we weren’t followed here.”

Jaehyun nodded, he knew first hand how amazing Johnny was, he had trained with him after all. His heart stung as he remembered all of the times the two had sparred, and the friendship that had been built out of it. He couldn’t believe that all of it had never truly been real.

Silence filled the cottage, Johnny’s small grunts the only noise. The cut wasn’t too deep, it was just enough to weaken the other. 

As soon as Taeil finished wrapping Johnny’s torso, he stood up, expression stern. “He’ll be fine with rest,” He glanced down, addressing Johnny. “Taeyong’s going to kill you for this, you know that right?”

Jaehyun jumped at the mention of the mysterious Taeyong again. Why would Taeyong care so much about Johnny getting injured, especially when it wasn’t serious?

Johnny groaned. “Can we please not tell him?”

Instead of answering, Taeil simply smiled and began to put away the extra bandages. With a nod of his head, he slipped out the front door, carrying the bucket of dirty water with him. Jungwoo had disappeared into the bedroom, presumably to rest from his travels. 

“Jae?”

Jaehyun looked down at Johnny who had spoken, voice soft in a way he had never heard it before.

“I just wanted,” He exhaled as if frustrated with himself. “I wanted you to know that it wasn’t fake.”

The breath left Jaehyun as he stared at his guard. The other looked so small on the couch, torso wrapped in bandages and tear-filled eyes locked on Jaehyun.

“I promise,” Johnny rasped. “It wasn’t fake.”

Jaehyun’s eyes stung with tears as Johnny continued. “Maybe in the beginning, when I barely knew you.” He looked down at his hands. “But Jae, you’re a hard person to keep a distance from. I was there to scope out a detection of magic, did you know that? Turns out that magic was you all along.”

Johnny shifted as if to try and sit up but stopped when he grimaced in pain. “Please Jae,” His voice cracked. “You have to know that I truly consider you my friend.”

Memories of Johnny rushing into his room when he woke up screaming from nightmares flashed in his mind. He thought of Johnny teaching him how to properly use a sword, Johnny covering for him so that he could go to the city, Johnny being his friend when he felt as if he was alone.

He remembered the day Johnny had appeared at the palace, stance regal and full of purpose. He had tried to remain professional with Jaehyun, but that had soon changed as Jaehyun refused to leave him alone. Sicheng had always said that Jaehyun was relentlessly annoying.

“I,” Jaehyun started, a tear running down his face slowly. “I believe you.”

A blinding smile flashed across Johnny’s face as he moved to take Jaehyun’s hand. For a moment, the pair sat in silence before Johnny’s eyes started to get heavy. 

Jaehyun stifled a laugh, wiping his tears from his cheeks. “Get some rest, Johnny.”

As if he had been waiting for permission, the other immediately closed his eyes, a light snore escaping only minutes later. Jaehyun glanced down fondly to see Johnny passed out, his mouth slightly open as he slept.

Jaehyun felt happiness fill him; Johnny had always been such a constant in his life, he was glad that the whole thing hadn’t been a lie.

A small laugh caught his attention, and he looked up at Yuta who was smiling at him. They held eye contact, Yuta’s eyes warm and welcoming. The sight made Jaehyun’s heart flutter. This Yuta sitting across from him was completely different than the distant Yuta he had known in the palace.

“Yuta.” Taeil loudly said, breaking the warm atmosphere.

The two looked up, taking note of how Taeil was leaning against the doorframe. Jaehyun gulped, wondering how long the other had been standing there.

Taeil’s expression was unreadable. “Can I speak to you outside?”

Something churned within Jaehyun’s stomach as Yuta stood up, following Taeil out of the cottage. Before he stepped outside, Taeil looked back at him, eyes sharp and assessing, before exiting and leaving him alone with a sleeping Johnny.

Jaehyun’s heart beat rapidly as he wondered what had just happened.

 

\---

 

“You don’t know much about magic, do you?”

Taeil’s question was honest, with no hint of malice. Still, Jaehyun’s face burned in embarrassment as he nodded. 

Taeil and Jaehyun were sitting on the steps leading to the front door of the cottage. Jaehyun’s hair dripped with water from his earlier cleanup. He had spent what felt like hours scrubbing dirt off of his face and arms. Just when he had finished, Taeil had appeared, telling him that they needed to talk. To say Jaehyun was nervous was an understatement.

Taeil gently placed his hand on his shoulder. “Don’t worry, I’m going to help us figure out what magic blood you possess.”

A spark shot down Jaehyun’s spine. He still wasn’t used to the fact that he was of magic blood, and the idea that he could be a specific type of magic blood confused and scared him even more. He wasn’t even sure what Taeil meant.

Seeing his confusion, Taeil leaned forward in his seat. “Not all magic is the same,” Jaehyun gulped. “There is basic magic, of course: charms, potions, little spells. Then, there are the more intense types of magic.”

“Like what?” Jaehyun found himself asking, tone eager.

Taeil held back a smile. “Too many to go over individually,” Jaehyun deflated a bit. “But take me for example. I have the ability to sense when someone possesses magic blood. It’s like a beacon. I get this pull, in a way, telling me when someone is of magic blood.”

“It’s how we found you, actually.”

Startled, Jaehyun looked up to see Yuta standing before them. In his arms, he held some firewood. Jaehyun felt his heart rate speed up as he noted how the other was wearing a sleeveless shirt, muscles fully on display.

Shaking his head, Jaehyun looked down. “What do you mean, found me?”

“I mean that I wasn’t at the palace just to be at the palace.” He gave Jaehyun a brief smile as he set the firewood on the ground. “Taeil got a pull, he could sense that there was a magical presence within the palace. We just never expected it to be you.”

Suddenly, Jaehyun remembered what Johnny had said about being at the palace because there had been a detection of magic. In the moment, Jaehyun had been too distracted by Johnny to think about the comment. Now, he realized that Yuta and Johnny had both been at the palace to find him.

Jaehyun sat back, his head spinning. “But why did you only get the feeling recently? I’ve been living in the palace my whole life.”

“I don’t know, something must have been blocking it. I felt it years ago, but only slightly. That’s one of the main reasons Johnny was sent as a spy to the palace. It only got strong within the past month.” 

Taeil shook his head before pulling something out of his pocket and setting it on the ground in front of him. “But that’s beside the point. Now that you’re here, I’m curious to learn just what type of blood you possess.”

Before him, was a clear, see-through crystal. Jaehyun gulped, looking curiously at Yuta and Taeil.

“Once you hold the crystal in both hands, you’ll be given a test,” Taeil explained softly. “It’s different for everyone, but it’s safe.”

Jaehyun nodded slowly, wiping his sweaty palms on his cloak before reaching out. Carefully, he picked up the crystal, jumping slightly when he realized that a strange heat was radiating from it. He shifted the crystal so that it rested evenly in his hands and closed his eyes.

A warm sensation immediately filled him and a bright light shone from behind his closed eyelids. Curious, he opened his eyes only to find that he was standing in the middle of the training ring at the Reinea palace. 

He frantically looked around, but no one was in sight. A light drizzle of rain fell, the skies dark with clouds. Before him, sat a golden sword, the droplets of rain glimmering on its’ sharp edges. 

An urge filled his chest to move to the sword and he followed, kneeling so that he could pick it up. The sword weighed nothing as he gripped the handle tightly. As soon as he stood up fully, a girl appeared before him out of thin air.

He jumped back, sword automatically raised, but all she did was smile. 

Her long, golden hair matched the sword, as if they had been made from the same light. Her gray eyes were knowing, the colors within them swirling like the clouds above. The rain began to fall harder, yet the girl remained dry. Her lips were pulled up into a smile as she simply stared at him.

“What do you want?” Jaehyun asked, voice as challenging as he could make it.

The girl didn’t reply as she raised her arms and opened her palms. To Jaehyun’s surprise, he noticed that she suddenly had four arms, all raised to show him what sat in her hands. Her expression remained blank as if she were waiting for something.

Curious, Jaehyun peered at what she was showing him. In her first hand was a dark gray rock, seemingly ordinary. In the next hand sat a deep purple shell. 

Jaehyun’s eyebrows furrowed in thought as he moved to see what her last two hands held. 

In her right palm was a deep blue stone, and the last one had a green and blue marble.

His eyes raised up to meet the girl’s gaze. “You want me to choose?”

The girl didn’t respond; instead, she simply looked back at him patiently.

Letting out a sigh, Jaehyun looked back down to the items. As he did so, he briefly registered that he still held the golden sword in his right hand.

His eyes scanned each item, taking in the numerous colors as he thought. His gaze snagged on the blue stone, and he immediately glanced down to his ring. The stone that sat within his ring was the same that rested in the girl’s palm.

He glanced back up at the girl, trying to see if it this was a trick but she only looked at him. 

Carefully, he raised his free hand to the blue stone. A feeling that was similar to the one he had felt at the door to Jungwoo’s prison, as well as at the lake, began to fill him. As his hand made contact with the blue stone, the girl disappeared and the golden sword became suddenly incredibly heavy.

Gasping out, Jaehyun fell to his knees due to the unexpected weight. The blue stone sat clutched in his hand, heat radiating from it and burning his skin.

The rain was a downpour, soaking him completely. A crack of thunder sounded and he opened his hand to look at the blue stone again. It seemed to glow at him, as if welcoming him.

He closed his eyes again, shivering as the rain stopped completely. 

“Jaehyun?”

Quickly, he reopened his eyes, coming face to face with Yuta. The other looked worried, his brows furrowed and lips pulled down into a frown. Jaehyun quickly looked around, only relaxing when he realized he was back in front of Taeil’s cottage.

“Are you alright?”

Jaehyun snapped his gaze back to Yuta who was still looking at him with concern. 

A hand landed on his shoulder and he turned to see Taeil. “Which one?”

Jaehyun gulped, knowing what Taeil meant, and looked down at his left hand. Slowly, he curled his fingers to reveal the blue stone.

Taeil inhaled sharply and Jaehyun thought he heard Yuta laugh softly.

“Elemental.” Taeil whispered, expression awed.

Jaehyun tilted his head to the side. “What?”

“You’re an Elemental.”

The three watched the blue stone vanish from Jaehyun’s palm, returning to the clear crystal it once was. 

“What does that mean?” He asked, voice soft with wonder.

Taeil glanced quickly at Yuta before taking the crystal from Jaehyun’s grasp.

“Elemental,” Yuta started softly. “Is one of the four main categories of magic.”

Lightning in the distance lit up the darkening sky, startling Jaehyun. Taeil looked as if he was trying not to laugh as he placed a hand on Yuta’s shoulder.

“Here, let me.” 

Taeil turned to Jaehyun, eyes soft and the shock gone from his features. “As Yuta said, there are four main types of magic blooded people: Soul, Mind, Natural, and Elemental. Soul is the most common and probably what you know of: charms, potions, minor spells.”

Jaehyun nodded along; his whole life he had believed that was all magic blooded people could do. He assumed it made sense that he thought that way; if Soul was the most common, it was what most people would be exposed to.

“Mind and Natural are both broader.” Taeil continued. “For example, my ability to sense magic within places and people is an ability that falls into the Mind category. Natural magic is like what Jungwoo has, the ability to change his appearance. That’s the most common for those who have Natural magic. There are many different abilities within these two categories, some probably undiscovered.”

Jaehyun thought back to Jungwoo’s sudden change in age, how he had been able to appear much older in only seconds. He wanted to ask Taeil about how he had taken Jungwoo's voice if his magical ability was being able to detect magic, but stopped himself. First he wanted to know about what was in his blood. 

“Elemental is rare.” Taeil’s voice was louder. “It’s pretty simple. A person who has Elemental magic within their blood has an ability that focuses on one of the elements: water, earth, fire, and wind.”

Memories of the lake surfaced within his mind. He thought of all the time water had given him a sense of security, of protection. 

Jaehyun looked down at his ring. “I have water, don’t I?”

Taeil simply looked at him, eyes soft as he nodded. “It appears that yours is water, yes. However, what that entails, I’m sure you’ll find out.”

At Jaehyun’s curious look, Yuta spoke up. “Not all Elementals work the same. Fire is pretty straight forward; you control fire. Wind, water, and earth can be a bit different.”

He glanced at Taeil before continuing. “My brother has wind Elemental magic. His ability focuses mainly on the weather; he can control it, creating storms or a sunny day. This doesn’t mean he has absolute control, magic has limits, but still.”

Jaehyun found himself nodding, his thoughts straying to the mysterious brother Yuta had mentioned before. 

“So, like your brother, I could only have certain abilities relating to water?”

Yuta nodded slowly. “Having water Elemental power doesn’t mean all water is under your control. You could freeze things, or you could have the ability to cause water-related storms.”

For a moment, Taeil and Yuta simply shared a look, appearing to communicate with their eyes alone. Something twisted in Jaehyun’s gut; it was similar to when Johnny and Yuta looked at each other at Yuta’s shop. There was something they didn’t want to tell him.

“What is it?” He asked, tired of not knowing things.

Taeil turned to him, expression unsure, before looking back at Yuta.

“I trust him,” Yuta whispered to the other. “And so does Johnny.”

Jaehyun stared openly, a warm feeling rising within him at Yuta’s words. Hearing that the other trusted him was surprising, he never knew what Yuta was thinking.

Taeil looked uncomfortable. “You know it has to be more than that, we should wait for Taeyong.”

Irritation flared up within Jaehyun. “I’m right here,” He spat, tired of them acting as if he didn’t matter. “Look, I get why you have to be careful of me. I’m the son of the man who tore this land apart, I’m the prince of a kingdom that banned magic. But haven’t I proved myself enough? If I wasn’t on your side, why would I be here?”

The two stared at him, expressions unreadable. Yuta cleared his throat, glancing sideways at Taeil before back at Jaehyun.

“We’ll wait for Taeyong,” Jaehyun opened his mouth to argue but Yuta cut him off with a stern look. “I’m sorry, but we can’t go spilling every secret of the Phoenix, we have to be cautious. These are people’s lives, Jae.”

Jaehyun sat back and crossed his arms as Yuta continued. “I believe in you and so does Johnny, but it doesn’t come down to us two to make decisions for the Phoenix. Until we figure out what to do, we’ll stay here and wait for our companion to arrive. After that, we’ll see, alright?”

Begrudgingly, Jaehyun nodded, eyes focused on the ground. He understood, he really did. It was just frustrating always feeling like he was clueless. It also irked him that his what would become of his fate may rest in this mysterious “companion” that they were waiting for.

Still, he knew he needed time to accept his newly found magical abilities. Learning that he not only had magic blood but also a very rare form of it still hadn’t quite sunken in.

 

\---

 

Johnny’s injury was healing slowly but surely. Despite that, the guard wouldn’t stop trying to get up and move around.

“Listen, I’m fine,” He insisted desperately. “It doesn’t even hurt.”

Jaehyun raised an eyebrow and lightly pushed Johnny back down on the couch, frowning when the other groaned in pain. 

Johnny sent him a guilty look. “I’m sorry, it’s just frustrating not being able to move.”

On the other side of the room, Jungwoo sat fully immersed in one of Taeil’s books. The other had kept his older appearance, his blue hair pushed back from his face by a small headband. For the most part, Jungwoo had stayed fairly quiet. It seemed even with his voice returned, he didn’t speak much. 

Things had been awkward between Jaehyun and Jungwoo. They hadn’t spoken one on one, only opting to smile at each other when they made eye contact. However, whenever Jaehyun woke up from a nightmare, chest heaving as he desperately tried to forget the pressure that he had felt in the dreams, Jungwoo was always awake. The two never spoke about what had happened in the West Tower; Jaehyun wanted to forget as much as he could. 

“You need to sleep,” Jaehyun insisted, looking sternly at Johnny.

The other groaned. “All I do is sleep, I’m tired of it.”

They had been at Taeil’s cottage for three days, waiting for something or someone that Jaehyun didn’t know. It didn’t bother him too much, especially since he also knew that they were waiting for Johnny to heal. 

Honestly, Jaehyun was just glad that they hadn’t kicked him out yet.

From across the room, Jungwoo stood up, carefully setting his book down. The sudden movement caused the other two to look at him curiously and he ducked his head at the attention.

“I was about to go for a walk,” Jungwoo said quietly. “You can come with me.”

Johnny beamed and looked pointedly at Jaehyun. Sighing, Jaehyun agreed and carefully helped the other to stand up. 

After draping a plain gray cloak over Johnny’s shoulders he turned to Jungwoo. “Take it slow, alright?” Johnny rolled his eyes. “He can’t re-open the wound.”

“Alright alright,” Johnny sighed, pushing at Jaehyun’s hands. “Let’s go, Jungwoo.”

Jaehyun watched as the pair left the cottage, steps slow as Johnny leaned against Jungwoo. Fresh air would be good for Johnny, he wasn’t used to spending so much time indoors and unmoving.

Sighing, Jaehyun sat back down on the couch, eyes resting on the fire in front of him. Immediately, his thoughts went to his family. He wondered what his father and brother were doing, if they were searching for him. The thought of his brother caused Jaehyun to sit up quickly.

Magic was hereditary, passed down through blood. If Jaehyun had magic blood, then his brother did as well. His mind raced; there was no way his father had magic blood, not with how much he hated it. That meant that it was his mother. 

Flashes of her warm smile and comforting embrace filled him. She had always been protective of magic blooded people, telling Jaehyun to love all people of Reinea. He played with the ring on his finger, taking comfort in the smooth blue stone. 

He wondered if his father had known. Still, there was no way his mother was unaware that she had magic blood. He didn’t know much about his mother before she had become Queen, all he knew was that she had been a noble. He wasn’t even sure if she was from Reinea.

Frustrated, Jaehyun let out a groan and ran a hand through his hair.

“You alright?”

Yuta’s question startled Jaehyun and he turned to see the other gazing curiously at him from the doorway to the bedroom.

Quickly, he shook his head as if he could clear his thoughts. “Yeah, I’m good.”

The heels of Yuta’s boots clicked against the floor as he approached the couch. His appearance was as breathtaking as always; jet black hair falling down neatly around his face, and features drawn up into a smirk.

“No offense,” He sat down next to Jaehyun. “But you seem stressed.”

Jaehyun let out a humorless laugh. “That’s an understatement.”

Yuta quirked an eyebrow at him questioningly. The fire illuminated his face nicely, making it appear as if he was glowing.

“So much has happened since the wedding,” Jaehyun smiled softly, eyes trained on the floor. “Since I met you, everything has changed.”

The fire crackled loudly, filling the air with more warmth. Jaehyun kept his gaze down, still deep in his thoughts. It was true, everything had begun to change as soon as he had met Yuta. The Phoenix had returned, Jaehyun had finally questioned everything his father had taught him, he had discovered his magic blood. 

“About that,” Yuta coughed awkwardly. “I truly had no idea who you were at first. A part of me even believed you might have been with the Phoenix. You can imagine my shock seeing you at the palace.”

Jaehyun’s eyes widened before he chuckled. Memories of him and Yuta colliding in the palace halls resurfaced. He thought of Yuta’s cold glare and stiff attitude toward him. Then he thought of how much that had recently changed.

He glanced down quickly at Yuta’s wrist where the bracelet he had given him was still tied. 

“You didn’t take it off.”

Yuta followed his gaze and smiled softly, reaching his other hand to play with the bracelet. He was quiet for a moment before he looked back up at Jaehyun.

“Of course not,” His voice was clear and full of emotion. “You gave it to me.”

Yuta had responded as if it was obvious. A lump formed in Jaehyun’s throat as he held eye contact with the other. Without thinking, he reached forward to take Yuta’s wrist in his hand, turning his arm over so that he could observe the bracelet. His eyes roamed over the buttons and beads he had strung on there that night in the kitchen. The fact that Yuta had kept it on, touched him more than he would’ve thought.

His fingers rested lightly on Yuta’s glove, the leather cool against his heated skin. 

“Why do you wear these?” Jaehyun asked, looking down at the fingerless gloves he had never seen Yuta without, until their encounter with the dark creature.

Yuta let out a shaky breath and seemed to lean closer. At the movement, Jaehyun looked up at the other only to see him staring back at him, eyes full of strong emotion.

As quickly as he could, Jaehyun looked away, trying to avoid Yuta’s piercing stare. He didn’t know what the feeling that was filling him meant, but it scared him. Especially since Yuta had the habit of changing how he felt about Jaehyun daily.

“Jae,” Yuta started, voice shaky. “I-”

A loud knock on the door cut him off. Startled, Jaehyun stared worriedly at the door. 

Slowly, Yuta stood up from the couch and made his way to the door, hand resting lightly on his knife. Jaehyun got to his feet as well, following closely behind. He wished he had his sword with him, but it was in the bedroom where Taeil was napping.

Another knock sounded, pulsing along with the fear Jaehyun felt through his body. He thought of the guards that had surrounded Johnny and Jungwoo. Visions of his father standing at the doorstep, ready to kill them all flashed through Jaehyun’s mind. It could be Jungwoo or Johnny, but if it was, they would’ve walked into the cottage instead of knocking.

With a shaky hand, Yuta reached to open the door, pulling it open as slowly as he could. The door squeaked from the movement, filling the thick silence.

On the other side stood the man Jaehyun had transformed into after the charm. His red hair and eyebrow cut were identical to how they had appeared on Jaehyun’s face. As soon as his eyes landed on Yuta, the man’s face broke out into a smile.

Yuta seemed shocked, his eyes wide as a smile of his own surfaced and he breathed out a name that made Jaehyun go ridged. 

“Taeyong.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the delay! I went to the nct concert and then had finals so my schedule got all messed up rip.  
> But finally we have an idea on how magic works here!! sorry that took so long, but I wanted you guys to figure stuff out as Jaehyun did!  
> If you have any questions, don't hesitate to leave a comment or cc!! if it won't spoil anything, I'll try to answer as best as I can.


	10. Chapter 10

Jaehyun shivered under Taeyong’s harsh gaze.

As soon as the other had stepped away from hugging Yuta, he had turned to the Prince, eyes cold and assessing. Nervously, Jaehyun shifted his weight and began to mess with the ring on his finger. 

Since he had walked through the door of the cottage, Yuta hadn’t let go of Taeyong’s hand. No matter how hard Jaehyun tried to deny it, that bothered him.

Taeyong’s gaze moved to the ring that Jaehyun was twirling around on his finger. For a moment, all he did was stare blankly before he turned to Yuta.

“This is the magic blood Taeil felt?”

Yuta nodded at Taeyong’s question. “He’s an Elemental too, we think water.”

The words seemed to slightly shock Taeyong, but he did a good job at quickly hiding the fact. With a guarded expression, he turned back to Jaehyun. His eyes raked up and down

his frame as if he were determining something.

“This is the Prince?”

Jaehyun felt his face heat up in irritation; the question was obviously directed at Yuta. Why couldn’t Taeyong speak to him directly? 

Yuta must’ve noticed Jaehyun’s expression because he raced to respond. “Taeyong this is Jaehyun,” There was no need to be introduced by his nickname, the other already knew his real identity. “Jaehyun, this is my brother, Taeyong.”

Immediately, Jaehyun felt his mouth fall open. The mysterious brother Yuta had mentioned was Taeyong. For some reason, that had never occurred to him, even when he had seen Taeyong’s name on the letter in Yuta’s room. Suddenly, he felt ashamed of the borderline jealousy he had felt toward the other. 

At Yuta’s words, Taeyong relaxed and smacked the other lightly on the shoulder. “Stop telling people that, we’re not actually related you loser.” Still, his cheeks were tinted red as if he were touched by the gesture. “Just call me your best friend like a normal person.”

Yuta simply giggled in response, obviously Taeyong’s words weren’t new to him. The sound caused Jaehyun to blush and quickly look down.

Before anything else could be said, the door burst open and Johnny came in. His face immediately lit up at the sight of Taeyong before crumpling into a look of fear.

Confused, Jaehyun watched as Taeyong moved forward. “Johnny.” The word was full of happiness as Taeyong’s eyes glistened.

Then, his gaze seemed to land on Johnny’s wound and he tensed, his whole body becoming impossibly ridged. “What,” The guard flinched slightly. “What did you do.”

Johnny moved his hand to cover his bandage. “It’s just a scratch, honestly.”

The words seemed to do nothing to comfort Taeyong, and his mouth stayed downturned as he glared. From his spot behind Johnny, Jungwoo slowly moved away, his gaze cautious.

Yuta put a hand on Taeyong’s shoulder. “He’ll be alright, Tae. Nothing to worry about.”

Ignoring Yuta, Taeyong stomped over to Johnny who was starting to look sick to his stomach. For a moment, he simply stared at the other; his expression smoothed out into one that looked almost fond.

The abrupt change startled Jaehyun as he watched Taeyong raise a hand and gently stroke Johnny’s cheek. The guard seemed to relax into the touch, his eyes filling with tears.

“Tae.” Johnny said softly, his voice full of longing.

Jaehyun felt himself blush again. Obviously whatever was happening between the two was deeply personal.

Taeyong stared at Johnny for another long moment, his thumb gently sweeping away a stray tear before abruptly moving away.

“You idiot.” He hissed loudly, slapping Johnny on the shoulder. “You absolute _idiot_.”

Johnny tried to move away but seemed to stop in fear at the look in Taeyong’s eyes.

Jaehyun watched in faint amusement as Taeyong continued to slap Johnny lightly on his arm, his face scrunched up. He vaguely registered that he should help his friend, but a glance at Yuta told him that whatever was happening was normal.

“What happened?” Taeyong demanded, eyes full of a fire that raged dangerously untamed. “What did you do?

“It wasn’t my fault.” Johnny insisted in a surprisingly high pitched voice, raising his own hand in an attempt to block Taeyong’s hits. “Honestly, it wasn’t!”

Jaehyun looked over again at Yuta to see the other watching on in fondness. The softness that filled Yuta’s gaze made Jaehyun’s face heat up, even though the look wasn’t directed at him.

“Now,” Taeyong said suddenly, stepping away from Johnny and effectively breaking Jaehyun out of his trance. “We need to talk.”  
  


 

\----

  
  


Taeyong hadn’t spoken a word to Jaehyun.

He had arrived at the cottage hours ago and had quickly taken the attention of everyone, with his claim that they needed to discuss important matters. Jaehyun sat on the steps of the cottage, attempting to fight off a pout. He had been kicked out; although, not directly. 

The others had all asked him to gather firewood, check Taeil’s garden, and an array of other pointless tasks to keep him busy. He wasn’t a fool, he knew that they wanted to talk about things relating to the Phoenix without him near.

Still, the thought irked him. 

With a heavy sigh, Jaehyun got to his feet. If he was to be outside, he might as well explore.

The forest around him moved together, the trees all swaying as if welcoming him as he stepped out of the clearing. Humming to himself, he carefully made his way to the small pond just past Taeil’s cottage. He had heard Jungwoo talking about it when he had returned from one of his walks earlier in the day. 

The pond was indeed small, resembling more of a large puddle than anything. Regardless, Jaehyun sat down at the edge of it, resting his back on the large tree that stood beside it. With another long sigh, he let one of his hands fall into the water.

His eyes were immediately glued to his hand that was submerged. As much as he didn’t want to admit it, he was waiting to feel something that would confirm he really was of magic blood, that he hadn’t imagined everything.

In his mind, he willed for the water to move, for it to do something. His eyes burned as he stared intensely his hand, hoping for even a ripple in movement.

To his frustration, he didn’t get an earth-shattering feeling that completely overwhelmed him like he half expected to. He was just an idiot, sitting with his hand in a pond.

“It doesn’t work like that.”

Jaehyun jumped at Jungwoo’s soft voice, raising his head to see the other leaning against a nearby tree. He was smiling, a far off look in his eyes.

“What?”

Jungwoo laughed and moved to sit down next to Jaehyun. “Magic,” He gestured to the pond. “You’re not going to be able to completely control your magic so quickly.”

He knew that. Logically, he did. Nothing in life was easy, especially when it came to magic. Still, Jaehyun had thought he would at least be able to do something. 

When he voiced his thoughts, Jungwoo laughed. “It took me years to master my ability,” He brushed his blue hair out of his eyes. “And mine isn’t Elemental like yours."

He thought about his father’s warnings. Untrained magic blooded people were dangerous; after what had happened with the lake, Jaehyun found that he agreed.

A sick feeling began to fill his stomach as echoes of the guard’s screams sounded in his head. He was dangerous, he was untrained.

Not wanting to dwell on the thought, he hurriedly jumped to change the subject. “What are you doing out here?”

At his question, Jungwoo immediately turned sulky. “Got kicked out too.”

The leaves that were still on the trees rustled as a cool breeze swept through the surrounding forest. 

“Tae and I know each other,” Jungwoo sighed. “But the others don’t know me. Besides, I’m just a messenger.”

Jaehyun tilted his head at the comment but remained silent despite his confusion. He was tired of asking questions that he knew wouldn’t be answered any time soon.

“It’s alright though,” Jungwoo continued, a bit more brightness seeping into his voice. “They’ll be done soon.”

Jaehyun nodded and let his gaze fall back down to the pond. Slowly, he moved his fingers underwater, observing how the blue of his ring stood out.

“Tae is Taeyong?” Jungwoo made a noise of affirmation at his question. “How do you know him and not the others?”

Jungwoo was silent for a moment before speaking. “I know Taeil as well. But Yuta and Johnny have been undercover for quite some time now.”

Jaehyun wondered how Jungwoo had gotten involved with the Phoenix. Was there a recruiting system? 

An image of Jungwoo, wordlessly kneeling in the throne room as the Crown Prince questioned him, flashed through his mind. He thought of Jungwoo somehow dealing with the presence that had been in the West Tower. Briefly, he wondered if every member of the Phoenix was that strong-willed.

At the thought of the West Tower, Jaehyun scrunched his face up in confusion. Something had been bothering him for days now.

“Yukhei,” Jungwoo tensed up at the name. “You know him.”

It was as if Jungwoo had been waiting for Jaehyun to mention it. The other shut his eyes for a moment, like he was determining what to say.

“I’m fairly new to the Phoenix,” He started shakily. “When I was captured, I didn’t know what to do.”

Jaehyun moved his hand in the water again, eyes still trained on his ring.

“Yukhei guarded my cell a lot, I guess when he wasn’t with you,” Jaehyun tilted his head in confusion, it wasn’t common for his guards to do so. “I don't know, we just started talking and then sort of became friends.”

Jaehyun thought of Yukhei’s desperate expression, his need for Jungwoo to escape. Something told him that Jungwoo had to be pretty special to Yukhei for him to react so strongly.

“He isn’t a member of the Phoenix, I know that, but I guess he wanted to help me.” Jungwoo finished softly. “Like you.”

Jaehyun raised his eyes to meet Jungwoo’s, observing the multiple emotions that filled them.

“Why did you help me?”

Jaehyun’s mouth felt dry at the question, and he blinked rapidly. “That day in the throne room,” His voice cracked slightly at the memory of Jungwoo kneeling before his brother. “It’s just wrong what my family does. It’s wrong what they did to you.”

Unshed tears gathered in Jungwoo’s eyes. 

“I couldn’t let them torture you,” He continued, clenching his fist in the water. “Not when I could do something to help you.”

Silence filled the space between them. Only the rustle of the leaves in the wind could be heard.

They didn’t mention the tower, even though it was obvious that it was on both of their minds. Somehow, Jaehyun knew that the topic was too sensitive to breach yet. He shivered as he remembered the feeling of pressure on his mind.

After a moment, Jungwoo placed a hand on Jaehyun’s shoulder. “Thank you.”

The sincerity of the words brought Jaehyun near to tears. His thoughts immediately left the tower as he stared at the man he had saved. Before he could say anything else, Jungwoo stood up, eyes still misty as well.

“Come on,” He said, gesturing for Jaehyun to get up. “I need to blow off some energy.”

Confused, Jaehyun followed the other. He stifled a laugh when he saw the two swords Jungwoo had brought to the pond, both sitting next to a particularly large tree.

Without another word, Jungwoo bent down and handed one of them to Jaehyun. The two settled into natural fighting stances, swords raised in front of them.

“I saw you at the lake,” Jaehyun said casually, swinging lightly at Jungwoo’s sword. “You’re pretty good.”

It was true. When the guards had been swarming the two of them at the lake, Jungwoo had defended himself. The technique in which he had fought with the sword made it clear that he had been trained well.

Jungwoo smiled as he deflected Jaehyun’s swing. “I was taught from an early age.”

Their swords clanged together, the sound ringing throughout the forest. Not much strength was put into the action, but Jaehyun still felt himself begin to sweat.

“Johnny taught me.” He said, mind briefly going to the many sparring sessions he had participated in against his guard.

Spinning out of the way from another swing, Jungwoo moved behind one of the trees. Not wanting to lose his partner, Jaehyun followed. For a moment, the pair simply moved from tree to tree, using them as cover as they continued to spar.

“Johnny’s good,” Jungwoo stated, his own hair becoming matted with sweat. “Even before he took down all those guards that had followed us, I knew. He’s something of a legend back at the Phoenix.”

Jaehyun blinked. “But he hasn’t been there in years.”

Thinking back, he barely remembered a day that Johnny hadn’t been on duty in the palace. Sure his guards got off days, but he was positive Johnny wouldn’t risk returning to the Phoenix during those times.

Jungwoo spun away from one of Jaehyun’s swings. “Still, he’s well known throughout the members. He may not have magic, but he’s a hell of a good swordsman.”

The comment made Jaehyun stop, his sword lowering. “Johnny isn’t of magic blood?”

Strangely, he hadn’t even considered the possibility. He had automatically assumed everyone in the Phoenix had magic.

“Nah,” Jungwoo shook his head, lowering his own sword. “From what I’ve heard, Johnny was one of the first members of the Phoenix to not have magic.”

Jaehyun frowned, annoyed at himself for not wondering about what type of magic Johnny might’ve had sooner. The fact that Johnny had none was astounding to him, yet he wasn’t sure why. Just a few days earlier, he had believed that he had no magic as well, and he had still broken Jungwoo out of the West Tower. 

“Whether you have magic blood or not doesn’t really matter to the Phoenix,” Jungwoo continued. “Johnny is a prime example.”

“Yuta has magic blood though, right?” Jaehyun asked. “Taeyong too?”

He wanted to clarify, although Yuta and mentioned his magic blood before. 

A strange look passed over Jungwoo’s face before he nodded. “Yeah, they both do.”

He left it at that, not offering any idea of what type of magic the two had. Jaehyun supposed it wasn’t his secret to tell and let it go. Maybe he could ask Yuta again.

Suddenly, he remembered something Yuta had told him only the day before. His brother had Elemental magic as well; now that Jaehyun knew he had meant Taeyong, he realized that the wind magic abilities belonged to the other. Taeyong had Elemental magic just like Jaehyun did.

“Now,” Jungwoo said firmly, raising his sword and breaking him from his thoughts. “Enough questions. Come on.”

Jaehyun smiled wickedly, his mind clear, and brought his own sword up. 

  
  
  


\----

  
  
  


Since Taeyong’s arrival, Jaehyun had been spending a lot of time outside of the cottage. Just like the first day, he was never directly kicked out, but he was beginning to notice when he was unwelcome in a conversation. Taeyong would always side eye him and pause in his sentence until Jaehyun left. 

Back by the pond, Jaehyun had a book in front of him, one he had found in one of Taeil’s many stacks. He had been observing it, the title too faded for him to read properly, when Taeil had offered for him to just take it.

“Maybe it’ll give you something to do.” The other had said, his words sounding bored.

Still, Jaehyun had smiled brightly. He had started to discover that Taeil only pretended to be uninterested in things. However, over the few days that Jaehyun had been at the cottage, Taeil seemed to be opening up to him.

As much as Taeil wouldn’t want to admit, his books were precious to him. His telling Jaehyun to read one meant that he trusted him, even if only a little.

Jaehyun sat with his back up against the same large tree, the roots of it intertwining with the ground beneath him. The pond rippled slightly next to him as if welcoming his arrival.

“Elemental magic blood,” Jaehyun read out loud, his pointer finger hovering over the words on the page. “The rarest type of magic, as well as the most powerful.”

He sighed, no pressure there.

“In the past hundred years, only a handful of Elemental bloods have been recorded,” He continued slowly. “They live mostly in Reinea, as it is the kingdom holding the most land connected to Elemental magic.”

Reading those words made him pause. It seemed that the book had been written before his father had banned magic. Even still, he hadn’t realized just how full of magic Reinea had once been. It made him wonder what caused his father to become so against magic bloods in the first place.

“You know,” Jaehyun looked up, jumping when he saw Johnny leaning casually against a nearby tree, a small smile on his face. “This gives me major flashbacks to when I met you for the first time.”

Jaehyun immediately snorted at the memory, putting the book down.

He remembered the day clearly. Sicheng had forced a book on the kingdom trades into his hand, demanding that he finish it before dinner. With no intention to complete the task, Jaehyun had taken the book to the garden where he intended to hide it, just to mess with his best friend.  In his excitement, he hadn’t noticed Johnny, the newest addition to his guard, following him.

As soon as he had bent down to shove the book under a particularly old bench, Johnny had jumped in, demanding what the other was up to. The formalness of his new guard had not surprised Jaehyun, but the forwardness had. Usually, his guards let him do whatever he wanted, but the look in Johnny’s eyes had told him that this time would be different.

“You were so nosy,” Jaehyun complained, turning his head to look at Johnny properly. “Even as a newbie, you lectured me.”

Johnny huffed, trying but failing to hide his own smile. “It’s not my fault you’re such a pain.”

“Yeah, well it’s not my fault you have a stick up your ass.”

Johnny gasped dramatically as if wounded by Jaehyun’s words, but his smile never faded. The action made Jaehyun happy, their banter was familiar to him. It made him forget that he no longer was welcome in the place he had grown up in, that he was separated from Sicheng and the other people that he cared about.

“I still can’t believe you ratted me out to Sicheng.” Jaehyun whined, desperate to clear his own thoughts.

Sicheng hadn’t even gotten mad at his antics; instead, he had opted to roll his eyes and snatch back his precious book. At the time, Johnny had been amazed at the interaction.

“I had assumed Sicheng was your tutor,” Johnny admitted sheepishly. “Little did I know you two were inseparable and he was used to your stupid ways.”

Jaehyun giggled as his mind focused on his best friend. He truly couldn’t remember a time when the other hadn’t been by his side. 

Slowly, his smile faded. “Do you think he’ll be alright?” He asked softly, his voice becoming vulnerable.

Silence followed his question; the leaves rustled slightly in the wind.

“Sicheng’s smart,” Johnny started carefully. “And as Yuta said, there are people to look out for him.”

Jaehyun’s worry didn’t completely let up, but Johnny’s words comforted him. The other wasn’t one to sugarcoat things, and he knew Sicheng well. Still, Jaehyun felt guilty for leaving his friend behind to the King’s wrath.

Maybe, if the Phoenix decided not to help Jaehyun, he could go back for Sicheng and they could run away. The idea seemed almost impossible, but it brought him a little more comfort. He daydreamed of living in a cottage, similar to Taeil’s, with Sicheng. They could be safe and free from expectations.

“Could we go back for him?”

Even though he knew the answer, his heart still clung onto the hope. Leaving Sicheng in the palace wasn’t something Jaehyun wanted to do. He thought of Sooyoung there as well, just married to the Crown Prince. Jaehyun had promised that he would be there for her, and now he was gone. Even more guilt filled him as he remembered the look of gratitude and relief that the Lilla Queen had given him when he had called Sooyoung his family. 

True family didn’t leave family behind. Yet here Jaehyun was, away from Sicheng and Sooyoung.

Sadness filled Johnny’s eyes. “You know we can’t, not with everything that just happened.”

Jaehyun blinked back tears and nodded. He knew that his father would be looking for him with every resource that he had. Going back to the palace anytime soon was out of the question. His only hope was that the Phoenix would help him, if the others decided that Jaehyun wasn’t worth their time, he didn’t know what he would do.

“Johnny,” The other hummed to show he was listening. “What’s going to happen to me?”

Knowing what he was talking about, Johnny shifted around. His brow furrowed in thought as if he were choosing his words carefully.

Without waiting for his response, Jaehyun continued. “Are you going to leave me?”

The question made Johnny look back up at him, his brow smoothing out immediately.

“Jae, I’ll never really leave you.”

The words were sincere yet somehow formal, similar to how he had spoken as his guard. There was a sense of loyalty in his tone, something that now confused Jaehyun.

“But the Phoenix-”

“We won’t abandon you.”

Jaehyun startled at Johnny’s words, blunt and loud in his ears. Johnny’s face was serious as his eyes bore into Jaehyun.

“The Phoenix won’t just leave you on your own,” He continued sternly. “What’s happening now, with Taeyong and Yuta, is deciding what exactly will happen.”

Jaehyun scrunched his face up in confusion. “So they’re deciding what to do with me?”

Johnny winced and looked down. “You know I trust you, but there are many people in the Phoenix, and they can’t blindly trust my judgment alone when it comes down to the Prince of Reinea potentially joining.”

The words knocked the air out of Jaehyun’s lungs. He had helped Jungwoo, a Phoenix member, escape the palace. He was hiding out in a Phoenix safe house with even more members as well. However, the thought of joining the organization had not fully occurred to him before.

Johnny must’ve noticed the look on his face because his own expression closed up. “That is what you wish, right?”

Without realizing, Jaehyun found himself nodding.

His own words that he had directed at his father at the lake echoed in his head, his own support for the Phoenix. No person deserves to suffer for what was in their blood. It was something he had believed even before he knew he was also magic blood.

Being a part of the Phoenix, a movement that supported magic bloods in Reinea, would be an honor.

Johnny relaxed again, a smile overtaking his face. “I told you that you had a bigger role in life than just being your father’s son.”

The familiar words echoed through Jaehyun’s head as he was reminded of Johnny saying the exact same thing to him after his most recent nightmare in the palace. Just as it had before, the words startled him. Yet, a warmth filled him as well. Johnny had always believed in him.

“Thank you.” Jaehyun whispered, voice shaking.

Instead of responding, Johnny patted his shoulder and then stood up slowly, his hand hovering over his wound. 

“Now, I was sent out here to get you.” Jaehyun stood up as well. “Taeyong wants to talk to you.”

Sighing, he followed Johnny back to the cottage. He kept his eyes on the ground, watching as leaves crunched beneath his boots.

His heartbeat raced nervously as they entered the cottage, and it picked up even more when he saw that everyone was gathered around the fire as if waiting for them. He tried to catch Yuta’s eye but the other refused to look at him. The action made him uneasy.

Taeyong sat on an armchair, the same cold gaze of his locked on Jaehyun’s face. Yuta and Jungwoo both sat on the ground next to the fire, leaving the couch open for Johnny and Jaehyun to sit on. 

Briefly, Taeyong glanced at Johnny, giving him a small smile. The action didn't go unnoticed by the others and Jaehyun fought the urge to raise an eyebrow in question.

Suddenly, Taeil entered the room, his arms full of books. He grunted in frustration and slammed them down on the table; after a moment of making sure that they wouldn’t fall, he leaned back against the wall. His eyes found Jaehyun and he tilted his head in acknowledgment, one of his hands playing with the large gemstone that hung around his neck.

Jaehyun repressed the urge to laugh; Taeil was odd indeed

“A decision has been reached.” 

The words, for once, were directed at him. Taeyong’s gaze didn’t waver at Jaehyun’s surprised expression.

Next to him on the couch, Johnny snorted. “Don’t sound so formal, Tae.”

Immediately Taeyong’s glare turned to Johnny, the other shrinking in on himself in response. 

After a brief moment, he rolled his eyes and continued. “I’ve spoken to each person in this cottage about the matter,” He paused to tilt his head. “All seem to believe you’re genuine in your want to help us.”

Jaehyun glanced around the room at the others. He was touched that they all believed in him, even Taeil who only really talked to Jaehyun when he had to.

“Jungwoo’s trust in you is understandable, you saved his life,” Taeyong leaned forward. “Johnny has known you for quite some time as well. He seems to hold you in high regards.”

Flattered, Jaehyun glanced at his old guard who was already smiling back at him. 

Taeyong loudly cleared his throat. “Taeil admits that he doesn’t know you as well,” Taeil nodded his head slightly in agreement. “Yet, he puts value in the fact that the other three trust you.”

The room becomes silent as Taeyong’s gaze moved to Yuta who still refused to look up.

“But it’s Yuta that confuses me the most,” Taeyong scrunched up his face. “I know him well, we grew up together. He doesn’t trust easily, especially those linked to the King. The fact that he argued for me to believe in you is important.”

A blush spread throughout Jaehyun’s face as he stared at Yuta. Warmth filled him at the thought that the tailor had fought for him. 

For a moment, Taeyong hesitated, his face still scrunched up in thought. The couch shook slightly as Johnny moved his foot up in down in a display of nervousness.

Jaehyun felt empty. He didn’t dare to hope for Taeyong to accept him into the Phoenix. It seemed too good to be true.

Finally, Taeyong looked up, making eye contact with Jaehyun. “I want to make it clear that I don’t know you and therefore, you don’t have my complete trust.” Jaehyun nodded slowly. “However, Yuta and Johnny both believe strongly in you and that’s something I have to believe in.”

Butterflies filled his stomach as he fought to hide his growing smile.

Taeyong sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “Jaehyun, you will accompany us to the Phoenix headquarters.” A jolt of excitement coursed through him. “There, we will offer you protection and attempt to help you understand your newfound abilities.”

Johnny laughed and moved forward to embrace Taeyong. Surprisingly, Taeyong let him, seeming to relax into the hold.

The room suddenly felt warmer and safer as the words processed in Jaehyun’s mind. They weren’t going to leave him behind. 

A wide smile spread across his face as he looked excitedly at Yuta. The other appeared relieved as well, something that warmed Jaehyun’s heart.

“But,” Taeyong interjected, Johnny’s arms still wrapped around him in a hug. “Once we get to headquarters, we’ll have to consult with the others.”

Jaehyun nodded, he understood that Taeyong didn’t speak for all of the Phoenix. If he had learned anything about the rebellion in the past few days, it was that the members didn’t make decisions all by themselves.

Once he tore his gaze away from Taeyong, he noticed Yuta standing in front of him. 

Even more butterflies danced in his stomach. “Thank you,” He said softly, smiling as Yuta looked up in surprise.

“For what?”

Yuta genuinely seemed to be confused, his eyebrows scrunched together.

“For believing in me.” Jaehyun admitted, his smile growing wider as the other blushed.

“Oh,” Yuta stepped forward slightly. “It’s no big deal, really.”

He seemed nervous as his eyes darted around Jaehyun’s face, never truly resting anywhere. Jaehyun stepped forward as well, raising his arm slowly. 

Before he could move any further, he was suddenly enveloped in warmth.

“Jae!” Johnny’s loud voice rang in his ear. 

Jaehyun relaxed as he realized who was hugging him. He felt happy, surrounded by people he considered to be his friends. Even though he didn’t know Taeyong, and the other intimidated him, Jaehyun was happy.

He was going to do something good. He was going to help the Phoenix in any way that he could. He was going to fight for what was right, and stand up to his family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lowkey went through some writers block during this chapter. big rip.  
> anyways yay more Taeyong! If you have any questions or anything don't hesitate to comment them, send in a cc, or dm me on twitter:)  
> also i promise there will be more yujae in the next chapter, i just don’t want to rush anything


	11. Chapter 11

The goodbye was surprisingly hard for Jaehyun. 

When the morning came to leave, he had to fight back tears. The only one who wouldn’t be traveling to the Phoenix headquarters with them was Taeil. Jaehyun had learned that he spent most of his time at the cottage, detecting people who had magic blood and providing a safe place for Phoenix members who passed through.

Taeil looked reasonably surprised at Jaehyun’s watering eyes; after all, they had only known each other for about a week. Still, Jaehyun found that he cared about Taeil, despite how stand-offish the other tried to be with him.

The other Phoenix members seemed to struggle less with saying goodbye, they were likely used to it. Jaehyun felt a little childish as he hugged Taeil tightly, coughing to hide the emotion that threatened to boil over.

“Jae.” Taeil called out as Jaehyun turned to follow the others out the cottage door. 

Slowly, Jaehyun turned around, his eyes downcast for a second before meeting the other’s gaze. “Yeah?”

Taeil paused, seeming to debate something in his head before he smiled softly. “I’m glad that I met you. And I’m glad that you’re here.”

The real meaning behind the words brought the tears threatening to spill from Jaehyun’s eyes finally down. Not trusting himself to speak, he gave the other his brightest smile before turning away and leaving. It meant more to him than he thought it would, Taeil was glad that Jaehyun was a part of the Phoenix.

Yuta was waiting at the bottom of the steps, the other three already off into the trees. At the sight of his tears, Yuta smiled softly and put a comforting hand on his arm.

The action calmed Jaehyun down and he returned the smile, although it was shaky. He wasn’t sure how he had gotten so attached to Taeil in the short amount of time he had known him; all he knew was that he cared for him.

“Come on,” Yuta’s voice was soft. “Let’s catch up to the others.”

With one last sniff, Jaehyun shouldered his bag and followed Yuta into the trees.

 

\---

 

For hours, the group walked in silence; the only sound the rustling of leaves beneath their boots and birds singing from the trees. 

Jaehyun tried to keep the awe out of his expression as he tilted his head back to observe the forest around him. It wasn’t that different from the forest he had traveled through with Yuta to reach Taeil’s cottage. However, the trees seemed to be thicker, closer together. Despite the changing of the season from fall to winter, the colors of the forest were still beautiful. Faded shades of oranges and reds decorated the trees, as well as the ground. It was like Jaehyun had fallen into a painting, the forest bringing an air of beauty that he was unused to seeing with his own two eyes. 

The group stayed just off the path travelers normally took, not wanting to run into any of the King’s guards. Because of this, Jaehyun found himself being hit in the face with branches so many times that he lost count. Every time it happened, and he jerked back in surprise, Yuta giggled next to him.

After a particularly large branch hit just under his left eye, Jaehyun was ready to cry from frustration. “How is it that I’m the only one being attacked right now?” He asked, a whine creeping up into his voice.

Johnny glanced back at him, a small smile on his face before turning away.

Another giggle sounded from beside him and he turned to see Yuta looking at him, a hand covering his mouth in an attempt to quiet his laugh.

“What?” Jaehyun demanded childishly.

Yuta shook his head, his eyes twinkling. “You’re such a baby.”

Jaehyun resisted the urge to stomp his foot and instead glared at the other. “I am not,” He ducked under one of the branches, smiling slightly in triumph when it didn’t hit him. “You just like to see me in pain.”

Again, Yuta let out a giggle, his eyes full of something that resembled fondness. Jaehyun was suddenly reminded of when Yuta had pricked him with the needles during his fitting for the wedding. Still, he guessed that it was worth getting hit in the face with branches if Yuta looked at him like that. 

Suddenly, Taeyong’s loud voice filled the space between them. “Will you two keep it down?”

Jaehyun looked up guiltily, wincing under the other’s glare. 

“Are you trying to get us caught?” Taeyong continued, scowling at them before moving back to the front and continuing to walk.

Jaehyun stifled a laugh as Yuta stuck his tongue out at the back of his best friend but stayed quiet. 

Taeyong had mentioned that it would take about two days to get to the Phoenix. It might’ve taken a shorter amount of time, but Johnny was still slightly injured. They didn’t want to risk going too fast.

Butterflies filled Jaehyun’s stomach. He couldn’t deny that he was nervous about reaching the Phoenix. The small amount of hostility that Taeyong had shown around him would surely be reflected within the Phoenix members. He couldn’t blame them at all; if he was them, he wouldn’t trust the Prince of Reinea either. 

Sighing, he glanced back at Yuta who was still walking beside him. The other had a concentrated look on his face as he stared at his feet. His dark hair was tied up again, and his cloak was snuggly wrapped around his body.

Jaehyun would have to trust that Yuta would stick up for him at the Phoenix just as he had to Taeyong. He glanced at Johnny and Jungwoo; if it wasn’t for them believing in him, Taeyong wouldn’t have trusted him at all. 

Soon, a small village came into view. Jaehyun tensed at the sight of a few guards standing near the edge of the small buildings, but immediately relaxed once he realized that they weren’t the King’s guards. Still, he expected the group to avoid the village. Instead, Taeyong led them right up to the entrance, nodding as he passed by one of the guards. 

This village was smaller than the one he and Yuta had passed through just days ago. It seemed as if travelers were consistent to the villagers since almost no one spared them a second glance. 

The night was quickly falling. They passed many shops closing for the day as families prepared to return home for dinner. Slowly, the streets began to empty as the sky grew darker. 

Despite the calmness that seemed to exude from the village’s atmosphere, Jaehyun still found himself tense. Every time one of the guards glanced in his direction, he bowed his head. Suddenly, Yuta moved closer and took Jaehyun’s hand in his, leading him along. 

The warmth that came from Yuta’s hand, even with his gloves on, soothed Jaehyun and reminded him that it would be alright. He would be safe with Yuta. 

The group slowly approached an inn, which sat at the edge of the village, just past all of the other stores and markets. With confidence, Taeyong entered, sweeping past a trio of travelers who lingered at the door. With a squeeze to his hand, Yuta pulled Jaehyun along.

Inside the inn, a small woman was bustling around, cleaning up the area as travelers walked in and out through the door. Yuta sauntered over to her, gently releasing Jaehyun’s hand as he did so.

He spoke softly to her as Jaehyun took in the sight of the inn. A comfortable large red couch sat in the corner; two men laid out on it, both fast asleep. There was a set of wooden winding stairs just to the right of the couch, leading up to where the rooms were. A young girl sat on the second stair, playing with some dolls. Jaehyun felt himself take a step forward, maybe to go talk to the child.

A cough brought Jaehyun’s attention back to the group. Taeyong was looking at him, his eyebrows raised in question. The glare that the other sent him wasn’t as aggressive as it had been at the cottage, but the message was still clear. Taeyong was watching him. 

The woman took the group up the stairs and to a plain wooden door with the number 16 on it. She pointed to it before smiling brightly at Yuta and leaving, Taeyong and Johnny trailing behind her. Inside the room, sat a simple four-poster bed with dark red and gray blankets. The bed took up most of the space, and Jaehyun squeezed past it to get further into the room. 

“We’ll rest briefly here,” Yuta said as he set his bag on the bed. “Then we have another day of travel.”

Jaehyun simply nodded, his eyes trained on Yuta. He seemed to be nervous, shifting his weight between his two feet.

Suddenly, Jungwoo slipped in through the open door. At his arrival, Yuta seemed to relax. 

“Jungwoo and you will sleep here,” His voice was low as he spoke. “I’ll return later.”

“Where are you going?” Jaehyun let the confusion he felt creep into his voice.

Yuta’s eyes flashed before he lowered his head. “I have some business to take care of.”

The vague answer bothered Jaehyun, just as the cold tone that Yuta had used did. He wasn’t sure what was up with Yuta, especially when he had just been holding his hand only minutes ago. It seemed that the playfulness from the woods had completely faded.

“Like what?” Jaehyun asked, grimacing as he saw Yuta shake his head impatiently.

“Nothing that really concerns you.” Venom dripped from his words, puncturing Jaehyun’s chest.

Before he could open his mouth to ask more, the other had left, the door slamming behind him.

 

\---

 

Jaehyun woke up feeling cold. It was still dark outside, something he could tell from the lack of light coming through the window. Turning over onto his side, he saw Jungwoo fast asleep beside him, his dark blue hair fanned out on the pillow. 

Jaehyun shifted, looking around for Yuta but coming up empty. A different kind of coldness seeped into his bones; where was he? Without a second thought, he got to his feet, slipping out of the blankets as quietly as he could. He grabbed his cloak from where it sat on the floor and rushed out of the room.

The inn was silent, the darkness almost impossible to see through. Still, Jaehyun carefully made his way down the stairs. He wasn’t sure what he expected to find; he was just worried. 

His brief conversation with Yuta earlier filled his mind. He wasn’t sure what he had done to make the other suddenly so upset with him, but he assumed it was because he was being too curious. Yuta seemed to get defensive when Jaehyun pried too much.

Once he made it to the ground floor, he noticed that the front door of the inn was slightly open. Slowly, he moved to the door and peeked outside. 

“Don’t get me wrong, the kid seems nice. I just don’t get it.”

Two silhouettes sat on the steps that lead to the inn, heads bent close together. Shifting closer, Jaehyun could make out the lines of Yuta’s face and the frown that Taeyong wore. They seemed to be arguing about something.

He leaned lightly on the door, curious at the heavy sigh Yuta let out.

“I don’t get it either.”

“It’s just odd that you trust the fucking prince.” Taeyong’s voice was low, almost dangerous. “After what happened with your family.”

A sharp inhale. “Let’s not talk about that.”

At the words, Jaehyun closed his eyes. They were talking about him. It was like an anchor had dropped in his stomach, making it impossible to move and escape eavesdropping on the conversation.

“Sorry,” He heard Taeyong sigh. “I’m just worried. Johnny adores him, and you trust him. I don’t want him to hurt you two.”

There was an air of disbelief to Taeyong’s voice, it was obvious that he still didn't understand why the others had stood up for Jaehyun.

“Doyoung isn’t going to like this. Hell, none of them are going to like it.” Taeyong continued.

“I know, Tae. We just couldn’t leave him though.”

“Why the hell not?” Taeyong’s voice became more desperate. “We don’t owe him anything, we didn’t ask for him to get Jungwoo out.”

“But he did.”

The emotion behind those three words rang loudly. Yuta had spoken with a hint of awe in his voice as if he still couldn’t believe that Jaehyun had risked everything to help Jungwoo.

Taeyong scoffed loudly, the sound harsh in the night air. “So he does one thing and everything his family has ever done should be forgiven?”

Yuta sighed, something that echoed through Jaehyun’s heart. It was so broken sounding, and so so tired.

“I don’t know,” Jaehyun rested his forehead on the door as Yuta spoke. “Something tells me that he’s different from his family.”

The comment made him lift his head suddenly; it was so similar to what Johnny had said. 

“Besides,” Yuta continued firmly. “You saw the ring.”

Taeyong was quiet as if he didn’t know what to say. The silence became deafening, ringing loudly in the night.

“He may be nosey and annoying and kind of a pushover.” Jaehyun’s heart dropped at Yuta’s words. “But he’s genuine, and a good person. I can tell.”

There was a frustrating sound, likely from Taeyong, before silence once again settled over the pair. Jaehyun peeked through the door again and saw the two friends sitting closer to one another.

“I hope you’re right,” Taeyong’s voice sounded weaker. “There’s nothing I can do to stop the blame that will fall on you if he messes up.”

The tiredness that filled Taeyong’s tone made Jaehyun ache. It was clear how much Taeyong wanted to protect Yuta, and it was breaking his heart that he couldn’t. 

“I know.” Yuta’s voice was just as vulnerable. 

At those whispered words, Jaehyun moved away from the door, his heart beating loudly in his chest. 

Obviously, the two were incredibly close. Yuta had called Taeyong his brother, and even though Jaehyun now knew that they weren’t blood-related, he could see the brotherly affection. Something deep ached within him as he briefly thought of Sicheng. 

The wooden stairs creaked under his weight as he made his way back upstairs. The darkness of the inn around him made his thoughts feel so much louder in his head.

Anxiously, he twisted his ring around his finger. He didn’t know what was so special about it, so much so that Yuta had brought it up as if it was supposed to mean something.

Taeyong’s words echoed in his head. He knew Taeyong didn’t trust him, but it still hurt to hear it. As he approached the door to the room that Jungwoo was sleeping in, he gritted his teeth. If Taeyong wanted to judge him based on who his family was then fine. He would just have to prove him wrong.

 

\---

 

Jaehyun lurched out of bed, his heart beating fast in his chest. For a moment, he stared at the wall in front of him, his mind desperately trying to remember the nightmare that had woken him up so abruptly. 

“Forgive your father.”

Sighing, he put his head in his hands. His mother’s voice echoed through his head, in the way it almost always did after his nightmares. He may not remember most of his dreams, but his mother saying those words to him was a constant throughout almost all of them.

“Jaehyun?”

At the sound of Yuta’s voice, Jaehyun jumped up quickly, heart beating loudly in his chest. Yuta was kneeled next to the bed, gazing down at him in worry. 

“Are you ok?”

Yuta’s question made him flinch. For a moment, he simply studied the other’s expression, full of worry and urgency. Whatever annoyance Yuta had harbored toward him the night before was gone. 

Slowly, Jaehyun nodded, running his hand through his damp hair.

The room felt too warm; sunlight peeked in through the window, bathing everything in a yellow glow. The light shone on Yuta’s face, and Jaehyun had to struggle to remember how to breathe for a moment.

“Jae?”

The concern that filled Yuta’s voice shook Jaehyun out of his trance and he quickly looked down, embarrassed at being caught staring. 

Suddenly, Jungwoo stirred from beside him and yawned loudly, startling both Jaehyun and Yuta. 

He blinked up with sleep-filled eyes and tilted his head. “What are you two doing?”

It was then that Jaehyun realized how close he was to Yuta, the other still kneeling down beside him so that their faces were the same height. 

Yuta flushed, something that made Jaehyun stare at him in awe, and moved away. “Nothing,” The pink that dusted his cheeks made him look even more beautiful. “We’re leaving soon, so get ready.”

With those words, he quickly left the room, scrambling to open the door in a hurry. Jaehyun stared after the other, a smile stuck on his face that he knew to be overly fond.

Movement beside him brought his attention back to Jungwoo who was looking at him with an odd expression.

“What?” Jaehyun asked softly, trying hard to keep his defensive tone out of the question.

Jungwoo just gave him a sly smile and shrugged before getting out of bed. The two got ready in silence, putting on their cloaks and boots to prepare for the day-long journey that was ahead.

By the time they made it downstairs, Yuta was waiting by the door, his foot tapping lightly against the floor.

“Where are the other two?” Jaehyun asked once they reached him.

Yuta led them out of the inn, thanking the innkeeper politely on the way out. It was so early in the morning that barely any villagers were out on the streets.

“We’re meeting them at the edge of town.” He answered slowly.

They walked down the main road, moving swiftly but still calmly. A nearby fruit stand was getting ready to open for the day, the man who ran it half asleep at his cart. Around them, the village slowly began to wake, and the streets began to smell of baking bread.

At the end of the road, Johnny and Taeyong were waiting with a small cart full of crates and a horse beside them.

Jaehyun bit his lip and looked down, remembering Taeyong’s words that he had overheard the night before. A nudge at his shoulder brought his attention back from his thoughts and he raised his head to see Johnny smiling brightly at him.

“Good morning.” 

The soft tone of Johnny’s greeting brought a smile to Jaehyun’s face as he leaned into the other’s shoulder.

“What’s that for?” Jungwoo asked next to him.

Jaehyun looked up to see that Jungwoo was pointing to the cart. The crates that were neatly stacked in it looked to be full of food. 

“It’s basically our cover,” Johnny explained. “We’ll travel toward another village, under the guise that we’re delivering supplies. That way, if we’re stopped, it looks less suspicious.”

Jaehyun looked out at the land in front of them. In the distance, were some of the beautiful mountains that Reinea was known for. However, the land before them was entirely open. He didn’t like that there were no trees to hide them anymore. A few were sprinkled up ahead, but mainly it was flat land until they reached the mountains. 

Obviously, Yuta felt the same. “I hate this stretch.” He murmured more to himself than anyone else.

Jaehyun ignored the urge to giggle at the small pout that had appeared on Yuta’s face and turned back to look at the cart. The plan made sense, it would be easy to be spotted by guards out in the open land. At least with the cart, they would have a cover story.

“Alright.” Taeyong clapped his hands together. “Jungwoo and I can lead the horse. Yuta, you can ride the other one. Johnny and Jaehyun, get in the cart.”

Obediently, everyone moved to their positions, with only a little complaining from Johnny. Taeyong ignored him as he moved to take hold of the reigns of the horse who would be pulling the cart. 

Slowly, the group began to move out of the village. Jaehyun resisted the urge to look back as they left; instead, opting to stare at the floor of the cart in which he sat on. His back was leaned up against one stack of crates, the edges of it already digging into his spine. Johnny looked equally as comfortable, with his long legs pulled up to his chest.

It would be a long day.

The coldness that had begun to fill the air of Reinea did nothing to stop the rays of the sun beating down on the group as they moved. A trickle of sweat made its’ way down Jaehyun’s back and he fought the urge to groan. The cart was moving in a way that jostled Jaehyun every other minute. He was sure that his tailbone would be sore for weeks.

Johnny looked even more restless as if he would do anything to get out of the cart. He knew Johnny would much rather prefer to ride one of the horses, but Taeyong was too worried about his wound to allow him to this time.

Yuta was beside the cart, perched up on his horse in an almost regal manner. The other wore a bored expression, but his eyes never stayed still. Constantly, they swept the land in front of them, on the lookout for any people who could bring them trouble. So far, no other person had crossed paths with them except for a few lone travelers. 

Jaehyun let his head fall back against the crate behind him, his eyes still glued to Yuta. He couldn’t believe that he had only met the other a couple of weeks prior. It seemed to him as if it had been years. So much has changed since that fateful day where Yuta had saved his life. 

He furrowed his brow in thought. He never did find out just who had orchestrated the attack against him in the market. A part of him didn’t want to know; if it was the Phoenix, he thought that he was better off kept in the dark.

Suddenly a shout rang out across the open land. Jaehyun jerked his head up, looking around him for whoever had been the cause of the sound.

There, in the distance, was a group of guards. Yuta cursed under his breath and moved his horse forward to be beside Taeyong.

“Stay calm,” Johnny said sternly as he straightened up from his slouching position. “And put your hoods up.”

Quickly, Jaehyun obeyed, making sure his hood hid most of his face. As he did so, he let his hair down from its’ ponytail so that it fell in front of his face.

He watched, his heart beating loudly, as Johnny did the same. The other three were out of his line of vision since they were at the front of the cart. Hopefully, Jungwoo was altering his appearance as he had in Yuta’s shop.

Heavy footsteps got closer and closer. The crates blocked most of Jaehyun’s view, so he couldn’t see how many guards there were. Beside him, Johnny peeked over one of the crates and sighed in relief.

“They’re not King’s guards,” He whispered to Jaehyun. “I don’t know any of them.”

Jaehyun allowed himself a brief smile before he slid down, hiding from view as much as he could. He could hear the approaching guards talking and laughing among themselves. 

“There’s about ten of them.” Johnny said as he moved a bit closer.

As the guards neared, one of them called out to Taeyong, ordering him to stop. The cart slowed to halt; Jaehyun’s heart was beating frantically in his chest.

“What business do you have?” One of the guards asked, her tone almost bored.

Taeyong’s answer was well practiced, his voice unwavering. “We’re making our way to the market, hoping to sell some food.” 

Jaehyun barely stopped himself from jumping in surprise as two guards made their way to the side of the cart and peered in.

The nearest one poked at one of the crates. “Apples.” He reported back to the other guards.

Another guard approached from the other side of the cart, looking in interest at Jaehyun. The guard’s robes were a plain black, something that signified that they were more soldiers than anything. 

The first guard spoke again. “It would be nice to have some apples on our way to the border.”

The comment made Jaehyun’s stomach drop. The direction that they were going was to the border of Reinea and Avon.

“Oh yes, of course,” Taeyong said quickly. “Take as much as you need.”

Johnny had said there were ten guards; that wasn’t a lot to be going to Avon. There was a chance that they were simply going as a few reinforcements, or as messengers. The thought of why guards would be needed in Avon was something Jaehyun didn’t want to dwell on, though he was sure that it meant war was finally blooming.

Immediately, the guards lifted a few of the crates. Jaehyun flinched as the one behind him was moved, bringing him further into view.

The movement caused his hood to fall down and the closest guard stopped immediately. Her eyes were trained on Jaehyun’s face, searching. 

In a flash, she had let go of the crate and moved back, her sword raised. “The Prince.”

Jaehyun could hear the other guard’s pull their swords out as well as his stomach dropped. Before he could comprehend what was happening, a hand latched onto his cloak and dragged him out of the car. His head spun as he looked up to see a guard standing above him, sword pointed at his chest. 

A yell sounded, and the guard was tackled to the ground by Johnny. Scrambling to his feet, Jaehyun pulled his own sword out, raising it immediately to fight off the nearest guard. 

He glanced quickly around and saw the others doing the same. Yuta and Jungwoo were on the opposite side of the cart, and Taeyong was still at the front.

One of the guards advanced quickly, sword arching downwards at Jaeyun’s feet. He jumped up, avoiding the swing and brought his own sword up to cut through the guard’s arm. With a scream, she fell, only to be replaced again by another guard. 

Jaehyun quickly became overwhelmed, his mind flashed back to the day by the lake. Just like then, guards seemed to be swarming him. He vaguely registered a shout of pain erupting from Johnny who was fighting beside him. On the other side of the cart, one of the guards disarmed Yuta. 

It was like all air had left his lungs as he saw the other fall to the ground, his sword clattering down and out of his reach. The guard who had disarmed him smiled and pointed his sword at him.

A feeling of hopelessness suddenly filled Jaehyun; there was no way he could get over there in time. He watched in horror as the guard’s sword raised higher, poised to cut through Yuta’s neck.

However, in one swift movement, Yuta raised both his hands and pulled himself up to his knees. He tilted his head to the side, regarding the guard still moving toward him, before closing his eyes. A bright light erupted, blinding Jaehyun for a moment. Shocked, he stared wordlessly, forgetting the fight around him.

As his vision cleared, he saw the orange and red and yellow that flowed from Yuta’s palms. The guards around them stared as well, transfixed on the sight. A blast of heat and then the closest guard to Yuta was screaming.

Jaehyun looked down; the guard’s leg was on fire.

Quickly, he glanced back up at Yuta, at the concentration that painted his face, at the light that emitted from his hands. Fire.

At the realization, Jaehyun turned back to the nearest guard, still staring open-mouthed at Yuta. He raised his sword and hit the handle of it against the guard’s head, knocking him unconscious. 

Another wave of heat came from Yuta’s direction, but Jaehyun ignored it as he moved to the next guard. The distraction of whatever magic Yuta was doing helped the group get back on track. They took advantage of the shock the guards that had been advancing fell into.

Johnny slashed one guard down, Jungwoo doing the same just beside him. On the other side of Yuta, Taeyong stood looking just as concentrated.

With all of the guards now running toward Yuta and Taeyong, Jaehyun stopped to take in what was happening.

Taeyong raised his hands slowly, just as Yuta had, his eyes drifting shut as well. Suddenly, the fire coming from Yuta’s palms changed direction, swirling up into the air, seeming to follow the direction of Taeyong’s hands.

The fire gathered just above their heads, welding into a wall of heat.

Then, at the same time, Yuta and Taeyong opened their eyes, their gazes landing on the guards standing in front of them. They both threw their hands forward, the wall of fire moving with them and slamming into the guards.

Scream immediately filled the air as the guards fell to the ground, desperate to put out the fire that now engulfed them. The few that could move, ran off toward the village in an attempt to escape.

Taeyong quickly chased after them, leaving Yuta standing alone, the fire now gone. Jaehyun moved forward as the other sank to his knees.

As Jaehyun approached, Yuta didn’t raise his head from where it hung, and as carefully as he could, he kneeled beside him. Worry coursed through him at the look of exhaustion overtaking Yuta’s face.

He glanced down at his ungloved hands. Burns painted the skin, engulfing Yuta’s palms.

Slowly, Jaehyun reached forward, giving time for Yuta to pull back. When he didn’t, he rested his hand on the other’s wrist.

“Does it hurt?”

Yuta shook his head sadly. “Can’t feel a thing.” His voice was broken, like he hadn’t used it in weeks.

Jaehyun gently ran the pads of his fingers over the burned skin, ignoring how quickly Yuta tensed under the contact.

“I don’t think-”

“Shut up for a second, will you?”

Surprisingly, Yuta obeyed Jaehyun’s request and watched in silence as he studied his palms. Despite the gruesome injuries, Jaehyun swiped his thumb over the skin in a soothing way. His eyebrows scrunched in thought.

“You wear gloves because of this?”

Silence answered his question and he looked up to see Yuta looking back at him. The vulnerable expression on the other’s face overwhelmed him.

Yuta coughed, looking down at his hands. “Yeah, the burns never go away” His voice was small. “That and so that I don’t hurt anyone.”

Confused, Jaehyun raised his eyebrow and tilted his head. “What do you mean?”

The look of vulnerability became stronger as Yuta stared down at his own hands. “I uh,” Jaehyun gently squeezed his hand encouragingly. “I’m Elemental as well.”

He glanced up as if to gauge Jaehyun’s reaction before continuing. “Mine’s fire, the most dangerous and unpredictable one.”

Jaehyun nodded along, allowing his expression to remain carefully blank, and humming softly for him to continue.

“When I was younger, I didn’t have control over it,” A faraway look dominated Yuta’s face. “As a kid, I was quick to anger. And most of the time, that showed through fire.”

He looked back up at Jaehyun as if expecting him to turn away. When he didn’t, he continued.

“As I grew up, I learned to control it. But that feeling of losing myself to the fire, I never got over that. The gloves are a reminder.”

Jaehyun glanced at the gloves that sat on the ground beside him. Until then, he had only seen Yuta take off the gloves once, to fight the creature in the woods. 

Slowly, Jaehyun slid his hand into the other’s and watched his face for any signs of discomfort. Yuta scrunched his nose but allowed the action, an unreadable expression overtaking his eyes as he gazed at Jaehyun.

A presence came up behind them and Johnny’s soft voice rang out. “Tae took care of the rest,” Jaehyun looked up at the other, frowning at the tiredness behind his eyes. “We should get moving.”

Yuta nodded, moving to get up from the ground. Jaehyun helped him, gripping firmly to his elbows, and as they straightened up, Yuta gave him a thankful smile. 

The cart had been unharmed from the fight, and the horses only seemed a little spooked. Jungwoo was picking up a few fallen crates and placing them back into the cart. 

Taeyong appeared beside them, his brow furrowed in thought. At Yuta’s questioning look, he held up a piece of paper.

“Found this on one of the guards,” Jaehyun’s heart dropped at what filled the page. “I was wondering why regular guards attacked us so quickly, now I see why.”

On the paper was a drawing of Jaehyun, his face set in a scowl that he knew he rarely wore. Bright red words were painted below. 

With a shaky voice, Jaehyun began to read. “Traitor to the crown, murderer of Reinea people.” He choked slightly. “Wanted dead or alive.”

Numbness filled Jaehyun’s chest. The seal of the King adorned the bottom of the paper, marking it as an order his father had given. 

“Jae.” Johnny’s voice was full of worry as the other looked at him.

Jaehyun shook his head, plastering a smile on his face as he turned away from the others. “It’s alright,” The word traitor screamed in his head. “I’m alright.”

Still, the thought of his own father declaring him a traitor to Reinea made him sick. His mother’s words came back in full force, that he must forgive his father.

Jaehyun shook his head again, digging his nails into his palm. His father wanted him dead, his father had called him a murderer. He didn’t need to forgive his father; he didn’t want to. In fact, he never would.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yay! we're slowly learning more about Yuta!  
> i hope there was no confusion during this chapter, but if you need to clarify something or just give some feedback you can comment, dm, or cc me:)  
> also! I slightly changed the name of this work. "Kyanos" has always been what I wanted to call this series, but I wasn't sure if I would actually make it a series until recently. With that decision, I added "The Phoenix" to the title.


	12. Chapter 12

That night, no clouds hid the stars from view; they twinkled brightly in the sky, shining down on the land below. As if in a trance, Jaehyun raised his hand up and into the air as if he could touch them. He watched as his fingers opened and closed, imagining that he was grabbing the stars from the night sky. 

It was late. Late enough that he should be asleep, especially considering the day he had ahead of him. With only a few hours left of traveling until they reached the Phoenix, Jaehyun needed all the rest he could get. He had no idea what would be waiting for him.

Still, he found it impossible to sleep. Maybe it was the anxiousness that filled him at the thought of finally arriving at the Phoenix. Maybe it was the fear of the nightmares that had been plaguing him. Maybe it was because he couldn’t stop thinking about how his own father had put a bounty on his head and labeled him as a traitor to the kingdom. 

With a heavy sigh, Jaehyun let his hand fall back on his chest before sitting up and glancing around at his traveling companions. He smiled softly when he saw that unlike himself, they were all asleep. Jungwoo was curled up on the cart, looking impossibly small with a thin blanket wrapped around his shivering body. Johnny and Taeyong were sleeping on the ground, their hands interlocked across the small distance between them.

Jaehyun looked over his shoulder at Yuta who was on watch. The other was leaned up against the back of the cart, a blanket resting loosely on his shoulders. Slowly, Jaehyun got up from the ground, wincing as his back protested the sudden movement.

At his approach, Yuta looked up and offered a small smile. “What are you doing?”

Carefully, Jaehyun moved to sit beside him, their shoulders touching as he settled against the cart. “Couldn’t sleep.”

Yuta stayed silent at the admission. His features were barely noticeable in the faint light that came from the moon and the stars. Only his eyes were truly visible, bright and full of the warmth Jaehyun had come accustomed to.

“Sorry, there aren't any bracelets that we can make here.”

Surprised, Jaehyun let out a soft laugh as Yuta’s words. He glanced quickly at Yuta’s arm, smiling when he saw the bracelet that he had made still around the other’s wrist. A warm feeling spread through his chest.

For a while, the pair simply sat there. The silence between them was comfortable as they stared out into the night. Jaehyun felt a bit exposed with no trees surrounding them, the open land in front of them provided no cover. After the attack the day before, the whole group had been on edge. Finally settling down to go to sleep had taken a while, and even then, Jaehyun still couldn’t sleep.

In the distance, he could make out the shape of the mountains. They were drawing closer to them with every mile they traveled, something that greatly excited him. He had never been so close to any mountain before.

Jaehyun smiled to himself as he thought of how much Sicheng would love to be there. All of his life, Sicheng had been fascinated with the gorgeous mountains that Reinea was known for. He had read countless books about the history of them. One particular favorite of his had claimed that years ago, back when magic was thriving in Reinea, the mountains had held a special power. Or something like that. Jaehyun had never been as interested in the history of magic as Sicheng had been, perhaps he should’ve been. 

A shiver ran through his body and he pulled the blanket tighter around himself. “Can’t Taeyong control the weather?” He suddenly asked, pouting as another gust of cold wind hit him.

Yuta hummed and shifted closer to Jaehyun. The heat that radiated from him automatically warmed Jaehyun. 

“Taeyong’s abilities revolve more around wind related things, like storms. He doesn’t have a say over temperature.” 

“Well that’s lame,” Jaehyun huffed, knowing perfectly well that Taeyong’s magic was anything but. “Lucky me that you’re here to warm me up.”

Yuta let out a small laugh but didn’t say anything as he rested a hand on Jaehyun’s knee. His whole arm was touching Jaehyun’s leg, bringing him even more warmth.

The small amount of light that emitted from the sky and Yuta’s warmth gave Jaehyun bravery that he didn’t know he had. “Today was pretty impressive.” He said casually.

Yuta scoffed at the mention of the earlier events. “It was dangerous,” He avoided Jaehyun’s gaze. “My fire is destructive.”

His words were full of self-deprecation as if using his magic was something to be ashamed of. The thought made Jaehyun clench his fist.

“It was needed,” Jaehyun insisted. “Without your fire, those guards would’ve taken me and probably killed everyone else.”

Yuta flinched at the words but remained silent, his gaze locked on something in the distance. Sighing, Jaehyun reached forward and took Yuta’s hand that was still on his knee. The rough leather of the gloves was cool against Jaehyun’s bare palms.

Thinking of the day before when Yuta had let him study his burned palms, Jaehyun pulled on the strap of leather that wrapped around Yuta’s hand and held the gloves in place. At first, Yuta didn’t react, but as the leather began to completely fall away, he jumped back.

“Don’t touch me.” Yuta snarled, ripping his hand from Jaehyun’s grasp.

His eyes were wild, like a cornered animal; he held his hands up to his heart, cradling them from Jaehyun. His body was curled in on itself. Jaehyun left his hand outreached, shame coursing through him at his sudden thoughtless action. He had blindly assumed that Yuta was alright with him seeing his burned palms.

“You have no right.”

Like they usually were when Jaehyun became too nosey, Yuta’s words were full of venom. 

Ignoring the brief sting in his chest, Jaehyun held his hands up. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

The laugh that left Yuta’s mouth was full of pain. “That’s not what I’m scared of.”

“Then what is it?” Jaehyun asked as he lowered his hands, his head tilted to the side in question. 

Slowly, Yuta untensed, his body relaxing back against the cart. He kept his hands cradled to his chest, the glove that Jaehyun had tried to remove was half off, a patch of burned skin could be seen.

Patiently, Jaehyun waited for his breathing to even out. After a few minutes, the other raised his head so that their eyes could meet once again.

“Fire is uncontrollable.” Yuta closed his eyes. “Like I mentioned yesterday, of all the Elemental magics, fire is the most dangerous.”

The wind whipped around them, causing Jaehyun to pull the blanket that rested on his shoulders tighter around himself. For a moment, Yuta seemed like he would stop there and remain silent. Yet after a few beats of silence, he let out a heavy sigh, as if he was giving up. 

“I’ve learned to tame the fire, but that doesn’t mean it always listens to me.” Yuta ran a hand through his matted hair. “When I was younger, there were so many accidents. So many scorch marks on the floor, so many burns on people’s arms. The fire built and built until it just snapped.”

Flashes of that day at the lake filled Jaehyun’s mind. A shiver ran down his spine; he couldn’t imagine what that would be like as fire.

“Some good for nothing guards had decided to terrorize my village,” Yuta’s hands began to shake. “They were beating this woman on the street when I just lost it.”

A tear made its way down Yuta’s cheek. Slowly, giving Yuta time to move away, Jaehyun reached forward and wiped it away. 

“I don’t remember much,” Yuta admitted softly, leaning into Jaehyun’s touch. “All I know is that I killed them, all of those guards were dead because of me.”

Yuta’s gaze met Jaehyun’s and he held it. The sorrow that filled his eyes made Jaehyun’s heart clench.

Yuta lowered his hands into his lap and stared at them. “My parents were members of the original Phoenix.”

At the sudden admission, Jaehyun lifted his head in surprise. The Phoenix had first been formed the year magic was declared illegal, only to be destroyed 10 years later. Almost all of the original members were said to be dead or missing.

“Word of what I did got around the kingdom, and the next day the King was at my front door. He murdered my father and took my mother, all while I hid in the basement like my parents told me to.”

Tears of his own now streamed down Jaehyun’s face as he watched Yuta cry. The story was obviously not something the other spoke often about. 

Yuta sniffed and lifted his hands up. “I wear these gloves to remind me of what happened and to protect the world from my fire. I never know when I could lose control.”

Jaehyun stared at Yuta’s hands, which were still trembling. Hatred for his father filled his heart as he watched one of the toughest people he knew break down. A terrible thought filled his head; did Yuta think that he was the reason the Phoenix fell 10 years ago?

Without thinking, Jaehyun took Yuta’s hands in his own, just as he had the day before. He held the other’s gaze, waiting for a sign to see if it was alright. 

A soft sigh escaped Yuta’s mouth as he nodded, his gaze trusting. With careful hands, Jaehyun unwound the rest of the strap of leather from around Yuta’s hand. The glove fell to the ground with a soft thump, and Yuta’s bare hand was left exposed to the night air. 

Jaehyun flicked his eyes up at Yuta, taking in the other’s tear-stained cheeks and wild hair, before looking back down at his hand. All thought left his head as he moved forward, bringing Yuta’s hand up to his mouth. He pressed a soft kiss to the burned skin, his lips gentle as the hand trembled.

As he raised his head, he saw Yuta staring at him openly, mouth parted in surprise as more tears began to flow down his face. 

“What happened isn’t and was never your fault,” Jaehyun’s voice felt raw as he spoke, holding Yuta’s unwavering gaze. “What happened to your parents was entirely the fault of the guards and my father.”

Yuta let out a small sob dipped his head down, his hair moving to cover his face.

“Your magic is beautiful.” Jaehyun continued softly, taking Yuta’s unwrapped hand in his own. “It protected us.”

Gently, Jaehyun shifted forward and took the other’s chin in his hand, lifting his head up so that their eyes met again. The tears had stopped, but Yuta’s eyes were still full of sorrow. 

“Aren’t you scared I’ll hurt you?” He asked, voice broken as he shook his hand free of Jaehyun’s.

The action startled Jaehyun, but he quickly moved to recapture Yuta’s hand. 

“Not at all,” He let a small smile overtake his face. “I trust you.”

Yuta held his gaze for a moment before sighing and closing his eyes. Suddenly, he moved forward to rest his head on Jaehyun’s shoulder. He fit against Jaehyun’s side perfectly, their hands still intertwined between them. 

A small smile overtook Jaehyun’s face and he brought his free hand up to softly pat Yuta’s head. “Go to sleep,” He whispered. “I’ll keep watch.”

Yuta hummed sleepily in response, his weight getting heavier on Jaehyun’s shoulder by the minute. Jaehyun tilted his head to look back up at the stars, his head swimming. Yuta had just shared something incredibly vulnerable with him, something he obviously trusted him with. 

Yuta’s initial hatred toward him made more sense; he was the son of the man who had destroyed Yuta’s family. His jaw clenched as he thought of his father.

A soft snore suddenly broke the night’s silence and Jaehyun looked down fondly at the man asleep on his shoulder. Carefully, he moved his left arm around Yuta and smiled as the other unconsciously tightened his grip. 

\--

Reinea was known for its beautiful mountains. It was a fact Jaehyun had known his whole life, even without Sicheng constantly talking about it. Within the five kingdoms, mountains had become a symbol for Reinea. Still, Jaehyun found himself astonished at the mountains that sat before him.

They rose significantly from the ground, towering over the land as if they were watching over the people below. Jaehyun tilted his head back to look up at them, his mouth still slightly open in awe. 

A rough hand clapped his shoulder. “Don’t seem so shocked.” Johnny laughed in his ear. “One might think that you weren’t Prince of this land.”

Jaehyun tore his eyes from the mountains to look over at his friend. Johnny’s mouth was pulled up into a smile, his face alight with excitement. 

“You forget I’ve never left the Capital,” Johnny frowned at that. “What’s got you so excited then?”

From beside them, Taeyong let out a snort. “He gets like this every time we come through here.” His tone was fond as he gazed at Johnny. “It’s annoying.”

Johnny rolled his eyes and threw an arm over Taeyong’s shoulders. “I’m just happy to be home.”

Home.

The word echoed in Jaehyun’s head. He had forgotten that Johnny had been at the Palace for years, probably unable to travel back to the Phoenix headquarters often during that time. 

He glanced over at Yuta, only to see the other staring blankly at the ground below him. Yuta had woken up horrified at falling asleep on Jaehyun and had quickly scrambled away to help Taeyong set up to leave their small camp. Ever since then, he had been obviously avoiding Jaehyun. As always, it was one step forward and two steps back.

“You alright?” Jaehyun asked softly, stifling a giggle when the other jumped in surprise.

Yuta scowled. “I’m fine.” His words were short and blunt. “Why?”

Jaehyun shrugged and diverted his attention back to the mountains. Even Yuta’s moodiness couldn’t take away the feeling of magic that flowed through him as he looked at the landscape before him. 

“Come on then,” Taeyong called out, exasperated. “Let’s get going.”

The others obediently followed him into the mountain range. As they walked, Jaehyun kept looking around. The path that they followed was worn down as if it had been used for years. Mountains sat all around them; soon, the flat land couldn’t be seen. Jaehyun felt himself become nervous; he felt exposed on the path. 

Johnny walked alongside him, humming happily to himself. “Taeyong’s a good guy.”

Jaehyun jumped at Johnny’s sudden words before smiling. He let his gaze rest on the redhead who walked ahead of the group. 

“I don’t doubt that.” He kept his voice teasing.

Johnny sighed. “He’s just protective, especially over Yuta. I mean, they grew up together. Taeyong’s family basically adopted Yuta after what happened to his parents.”

Jaehyun’s eyebrows knitted together as he thought of his conversation with Yuta the night before. He wanted to find out more about what had happened, and how Yuta had gotten involved with the Phoenix now. Still, he knew that it wasn’t his place to ask. If Yuta wanted to tell him when he finished avoiding him, then he would. 

They continued to walk in silence, following the path before them. Next to him, Johnny shifted uncomfortably.

“What is it?”

“When we get there,” Johnny put his hand on Jaehyun’s shoulder. “You’re gonna have a lot of people doubt you.”

Jaehyun nodded, already expecting to face that. He was the Prince after all.

“I just wanted to let you know that everyone here has your back, alright?” Johnny’s words were firm, his grip tightened on Jaehyun’s shoulder.

A warm feeling filled his heart as he smiled. He abruptly stopped walking and faced his friend. 

“Thank you, Johnny.”

Johnny smiled back and pulled him to keep walking. “I mean it,” He gestured forward. “Even Tae.”

Jaehyun seriously doubted that Taeyong would stand up for him in the Phoenix, but he nodded anyway. Johnny’s eagerness to prove that Taeyong didn’t hate him was endearing.  
His gaze landed on Yuta, who was walking beside Taeyong. Yuta had admitted to trusting him, but with his moodiness, Jaehyun wasn’t too sure. He was obviously avoiding him today; although, a part of him thought that Yuta just might be embarrassed after crying in front of him the night before. 

The group continued to walk for hours, only stopping for lunch and to let the horses rest. Despite the cool weather, sweat dripped down Jaehyun’s face. Irritated, he swiped it away from his eyes.

“How much longer?” He asked Jungwoo, trying to keep the whining tone out of his voice.

Jungwoo’s smirk told him that he had failed. “Not much,” He tied his blue hair up into a knot on top of his head. “Probably.”

Jaehyun resisted the urge to groan and moved forward to ask Johnny when suddenly, a shiver ran through him. A clap of thunder abruptly broke the calm atmosphere, the once clear skies filled with dark clouds.

Beside him, Johnny rolled his eyes. “Tae, what are you doing?”

Taeyong scowled, glaring up into the sky. “This isn’t me.”

A strike of fear shot through Jaehyun as he watched the sky grow impossibly darker. Thunder raged on above, illuminating the world in flashes of light. 

“Identification.” A voice boomed, strong and deep.

Jaehyun gulped as Taeyong stepped forward, his scowl deepening as he pulled a golden locket out of his pockets and held it out. Jaehyun’s heart beat faster as he recognized it as the symbol of the Phoenix.

“Don’t play games with me.” Taeyong called out firmly.

At his words, the sky immediately cleared up, the clouds fading away into nothing and the thunder completely vanishing. Out of seemingly thin air, two men suddenly appeared before them.

The one on the left had short, jet black hair and a deep scowl on his face. His eyes were sharp as he glared at Taeyong. Next to him was an older man with a stern gaze but a small smile on his lips. The contrast between the two made Jaehyun nauseous.

“Junmyeon,” Taeyong greeted before turning to the scowling man. “Doyoung.”

The two men in question nodded in return. The nicer looking one, Junmyeon, moved forward, his eyes sweeping over the group.

“I bring Johnny, Jungwoo, and Yuta back with me,” At Taeyong’s words, Yuta and Johnny held out their own golden lockets. 

Jungwoo ducked his head down as Yuta spoke up. “As I reported, Jungwoo’s locket was confiscated at the palace.”

Jaehyun clenched his fist as he remembered his first sighting of Jungwoo, broken and beaten on the throne room floor as the Crown Prince forced him to open the golden locket. 

Junmyeon hummed in agreement before his eyes landed on Jaehyun. Immediately, he stiffened.

“The hell is he doing here?” Doyoung demanded, his eyes locked on Jaehyun as well.

Yuta stepped forward, his hands raised out in front of him. In the back of his mind, Jaehyun noticed that his gloves were off.

“Doyoung, calm down.”

Apparently, being told to calm down didn’t sit well with Doyoung.

“I will not,” His face became red. “You brought the fucking Prince of Reinea to our headquarters.”

His words echoed in the mountain range, full of hate and disgust. Even though it was expected, Doyoung’s reaction hurt Jaehyun.

“That’s enough.” 

Junmyeon’s words rang out clearly between them, halting all other words. Calmly, he turned to Yuta. 

“You trust him?”

Yuta suddenly appeared nervous, his eyes flicking to look at Taeyong. “As reported, I do.”

Jaehyun felt himself become confused, Junmyeon seemed as if he had been expecting him, yet Doyoung obviously had not. His gaze flickered to Yuta; how did Yuta report back to Junmyeon, and how had Jungwoo done the same? Jaehyun had been with them the entire journey. 

Suddenly, Doyoung let out a loud groan and stomped off down the path, disappearing after a few steps. 

Jaehyun blinked in surprise, his eyes darting around to attempt to find the other. He tilted his head up to look at the mountain that sat directly in front of them, not finding anything out of the ordinary.

Movement caught his attention and he looked back down to see Junmyeon pulling a golden locket of his own out from beneath his cloak. Junmyeon tilted his head down, murmuring something under his breath. As he did so, Jaehyun looked around, confused when he saw Johnny smiling widely.

Suddenly, the air around them moved, almost as if it were glimmering. A wave of colors filled Jaehyun’s vision, reds and blues and yellows, before clearing. Panting, he let his gaze fall back on the mountain only to see huge double red doors at the base of it. 

Doyoung’s figure was still stalking toward the doors. As he reached the base of the mountain, Doyoung raised his hand and took a small knife out. Without any hesitation, he cut his palm and placed it over the red doors.

Something pulled within Jaehyun’s chest as he remembered doing the same to the red door that led to the West Tower. 

The double doors opened slowly as Doyoung stepped back and looked over his shoulder at them. Johnny let out a happy noise and grasped Jaehyun’s hand.

“Now,” Junmyeon said softly, gesturing for the group to follow him as he walked toward the red doors. “Let’s go in, shall we?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is a bit shorter than earlier. It just felt right to end the chapter there.  
> Also, just a warning, there's about to be even more new characters! yayyyyy  
> as always, thanks for reading this uwu


	13. Chapter 13

It was as if the group had stepped into another world. As soon as the double doors closed behind them, Jaehyun found himself blinded by a bright light. He quickly raised his hand to cover his eyes, only to lower it again as Yuta grasped his wrist lightly. With his eyes closed, he let Yuta pull him forward, his feet scrambling to keep up.

They walked for a couple of minutes; he was vaguely aware that they had passed through another door. After a few murmurs from around him that he couldn’t hear properly, Yuta tapped his shoulder and he slowly opened his eyes again. Once his eyes fully adjusted to the light, he gasped.

Before him, was an incredibly large room, two times the size of the ballroom at the palace, with walls and floors completely made of stone. 

In the center of the room was a golden spiral staircase. Intrigued, Jaehyun’s eyes followed the stairs up, where it rose past many different floors. As he stepped closer to the staircase, he noticed that it was as if a hole had been cut in the center of every level, so that if a person was to go to the top level and look down, they would see all the floors below them. Since Jaehyun was standing on the first level, where the staircase began, all he had to do was look up, and he could see every floor above him. 

On each level, a golden railing prevented people from falling to the first level that Jaehyun stood on. Several people leaned over the railing, looking curiously down at the group that had just arrived. Jaehyun squinted up at one of the very top levels, where a group of small children were clutching the railing excitedly, staring wide-eyed down at them.

Jaehyun’s eyes continued to follow the spiral stairs up until they disappeared into the ceiling that was far above them. It was as if someone had taken every beautiful color and stuck it on the ceiling; it resembled a sky full of clouds that were various shades of purple and yellow and red. 

“Are we,” He began, his voice tentative. “Are we in the mountain?”

Beside him, Johnny let out a small laugh and nodded.

The idea shocked Jaehyun; he hadn’t thought it was possible for the inside of a mountain to be hollowed out into something as beautiful as this. 

“How?”

“Magic.” Johnny answered simply, not offering any more of an explanation.

A few people lingered around on the first level that they were on; a group of three burly men leaned up against the stone wall, and a pair of two young teenagers sat on a particularly large couch in the corner. Still, despite their casual stances, Jaehyun could feel their eyes on him.

He tensed as one of the men walked toward them and up to Jungwoo, speaking to him in low tones. The man was dressed in all black and seemed to be in a serious conversation with Jungwoo.

Ahead of him, Junmyeon looked over his shoulder and smiled. “This way.”

Following the group, Jaehyun walked forward until he was directly in front of the spiral staircase. His gaze lingered on the man talking to Jungwoo, and he quickly shook off the odd feeling he got, turning to look back at the sight above him.

“How many levels are there?” He asked in awe, quickly trying to count the number of railings on each floor that looked down at them.

No one answered him, and he found himself only able to count up to 11 as the group continued to move. 

“I would give a tour, but Seulgi’s waiting for us,” Junmyeon said, an apologetic tone to his voice. “We should hurry.”

Johnny nodded solemnly from his place beside Taeyong. His eyes kept darting around the room and up at the levels above as if he was waiting for something. 

Junmyeon gingerly lifted his cloak so that he could step up on the staircase. He looked over at Doyoung and gestured for the other to come over. With a huff, Doyoung took out his golden locket and joined Junmyeon on the staircase. 

Jaehyun leaned forward, watching as the pair both closed their eyes and waited. For a moment, nothing happened, and Jaehyun was confused on why they didn’t just climb the stairs before suddenly the staircase moved. It spun around, like a corkscrew, and new stairs emerged out of thin air as the first step took Junmyeon and Doyoung up and up. After a moment, the staircase stopped moving, and the pair got off at a floor several levels up.

“What?” Jaehyun’s voice sounded weak. “Just happened.”

Yuta let out a laugh and grabbed his shoulder, gently pulling him toward the spiral staircase. 

“Magic.” He replied happily, echoing Johnny’s earlier answer.

Jaehyun narrowed his eyes, confused at the other’s sudden good mood. He would never get used to Yuta’s mood changes.

Carefully, he stepped up onto the new first step and waited as Yuta pulled out his own golden locket. A few seconds more, and he was racing upwards, moving from the bottom and up. The sensation was odd; he didn’t feel like he was spinning around and around again like he knew he was. As soon as it had started, the stairs suddenly stopped moving and Jaehyun opened his eyes to find himself still standing on the same step, yet on another level.

Blinking, he took in the bare room around him that was a few sizes smaller than the first level. There were three plain black doors, presumably leading to smaller rooms. 

After he stepped off the staircase, he looked over the railing and down to the three from their group that were still on the first level. Johnny waved at him happily as he stepped up onto the staircase as well.

Jaehyun let Yuta grab his arm again and lead him away from the railing and to the door on the far right. With a wink, the other yanked the door open and pulled him through.

This new room was much smaller, with dark green walls and a long table that sat in the center. Vaguely, Jaehyun thought it resembled the King’s study in the palace; the room that he had sat in while his father and his advisors had discussed torturing Jungwoo. The feeling increased once he noticed the huge map of the kingdoms that took up one of the walls. 

His eyes lingered on the map, taking in the five kingdoms of the land. The red dot that marked where the Capital of Reinea was filled him with sudden longing for his childhood home, the only place he had been in his life until recently. Shaking the feeling, his eyes traveled to the large mountain range that sat on the border of Reinea and the unclaimed, wild forest that no one dared venture into. His throat went dry as he realized how close he was to that land, knowing that the Phoenix headquarters in the mountains was only miles away from the forest. 

With a shake of his head, Jaehyun tore his eyes from the map and looked at the rest of the room. In the center of the table was a flickering candle that gave light to the room. The table had about eight chairs around it, three of which were taken. 

Jaehyun smiled timidly at Junmyeon who sat at the head of the table, studying him. To his left, sat a woman, probably Seulgi, with long black hair and a gaze that made Jaehyun shiver. She narrowed her eyes once he looked her way, and he quickly glanced over at the last person, Doyoung, seated a few chairs away, and looked as if he had eaten something sour.

The door they had just passed through opened again, Johnny and Taeyong walking in with their hands clasped together. Silently, everyone took a seat around the table. Jaehyun found himself between Yuta and Johnny, and directly across from Doyoung. 

“Where’s Jungwoo?” Jaehyun asked quietly, frowning when the other didn’t appear through the door as well.

He shifted uncomfortably as everyone at the table turned to look at him. Seulgi’s eyes narrowed even further, and Doyoung’s expression twisted.

“He won’t be joining us.” Junymeon stated calmly.

“Is he alright?”

Beside him, Yuta rested a hand on his shoulder. “He’s fine,” Jaehyun turned to look at him. “Jungwoo just can’t come up here.”

Confused, Jaehyun tilted his head. “Why not?”

Yuta glanced at Junmyeon before shaking his head. 

“I know it’s getting late, and I’m sure you are exhausted from your travels,” Junmyeon began, cutting off Jaehyun’s questions. “But it would be unwise to not discuss the situation at hand as soon as possible.”

There was a hum of agreement from the people around the table; Jaehyun shivered as he noticed that Doyoung had remained silent, his fingers tapping loudly on the surface of the table. 

“Let’s begin, shall we?” 

With a clap of his hands, a silver cup appeared in front of each person. In it, was a dark purple liquid. The substance was unlike anything Jaehyun had seen before, with hints of dark blue and green swirling around in it the longer he stared. 

“It’s a potion,” Johnny offered softly from beside him. “Everyone who comes in this room has to drink it.”

“That doesn’t explain anything.”

Johnny snorted at Jaehyun’s exasperated words. “We’re in the Leader’s Room. Basically where the most important meetings are held. Because of that, everyone always drinks this potion.”

He glanced over to Doyoung quickly before looking back. “It makes malicious intent obvious,” At Jaehyun’s questioning look, he sighed. “Basically, if someone has bad intentions, everyone else in the room will know.”

Jaehyun nodded slowly and took the cup, staring back down at the liquid below. It sloshed around, looking completely unappetizing as the color seemed to darken. 

“I didn’t poison it.” Doyoung said from across the table, an annoyed look on his face as he took a sip from his own cup.

Turning back to Johnny, Jaehyun watched as the other drank from his cup as well. After another moment of hesitation, Jaehyun followed. The potion tasted unexpectedly sweet, almost like berries. After a few small sips, he set the cup back down on the table and glanced around at the others who did the same.

The idea of the potion still confused him a little, but he had nothing to be afraid of. He trusted Johnny and Yuta, and he knew that he had no malicious intent toward the Phoenix. 

“Prince Jaehyun.” 

Jaehyun startled at Junmyeon’s words, looking up to show he was listening. The other’s gaze was unreadable; he didn’t seem like he despised Jaehyun, yet he didn’t trust him either.

“I understand that you are of magic blood.” Doyoung shifted in his chair as Junmyeon spoke. “How was it that you were unaware until recently?”

Jaehyun furrowed his eyebrows, his mind dwelling on the fact. “I’m not sure,” Silence met his admission. “I guess it was never anything I let myself think about.”

Memories of his life flashed before his eyes. He saw himself, playing in the lake with Sicheng, content and happy. He remembered the feeling of safety that always filled him when he was around water. The signs had all been there.

“Looking back, it was probably obvious, I’ve always loved water,” He admitted softly. “But I never imagined I would have magical abilities, not with a father like mine.”

“What about your mother?”

Junmyeon’s question was soft and unobtrusive, yet Jaehyun’s heart still clenched. He glanced down at his ring, taking in the beautiful blue stone. 

“She never spoke out against magic bloods,” Jaehyun thought of his mother’s kindness. “She’s the reason I never learned to hate magic as my brother and father do. I guess it would make sense that she stood up for magic bloods in any way that she could if she was one of them.”

Doyoung shifted again, setting his palms on the table as he leaned forward. “She obviously didn’t stand up for us enough.”

Shocked at the sudden statement, Jaehyun immediately clenched his jaw, glaring hard at the man across the table. “She did all that she could,” He spit out, images of his father, angry and red-faced, flashed through his mind. “My father isn’t someone you simply disagree with.”

“Still, if she had cared as you said, she would’ve done something.”

Jaehyun leaned forward, matching the other’s position. “Anytime my mother stood up to him for even a moment, he would retaliate ten times worse.” He felt himself pale at the memories he always tried so hard to push down. “She did her best.”

Doyoung scoffed. “Sounds like she was a coward.”

“That’s enough,” Junmyeon’s voice was commanding, stopping Jaehyun from angrily responding. 

Johnny’s hand on his shoulder caused him to lean back in his seat as he simply glared at Doyoung who sat, staring defiantly back at him. He didn’t know shit about his mother, about what it was like to live with his father.

Suddenly, Jaehyun felt someone take his hand. He turned quickly to the side, eyes narrowed in confusion as Yuta lifted their interlocked hands onto the table’s surface.

At the action, Junmyeon looked down, his eyes widening slightly, before looking back up at them.

Before Jaehyun could process what had happened, Junmyeon was speaking again. “Why are you here?”

His anger and confusion quickly dissolved at the question. For a moment, he simply stared back at the other, his mind racing. He was here for so many reasons; the main one being that he had nowhere else to go. 

“After what happened, there was no way I could return to the palace.” Jaehyun started shakily, deciding to ignore Doyoung’s glare and Yuta’s strange actions. “I’ve always disagreed with the King and his views on magic blood, even before I knew that I was one.”

Again, Doyoung shifted in his chair, yet he remained silent.

Jaehyun let out a breath, thinking back to his thought process. “I had tried to ignore it my whole life. I trusted my mother, but after she died, I was alone. My brother hates magic just as much as my father, and every person in that palace despises magic bloods or at least pretends to. It’s honestly something that’s not really talked about.”

He thought of the careful whispering between nobles when a new magic blooded person was brought to the palace for questioning. He thought of how the people in the palace tried their best to ignore the screams.

“It had been years since a magic blooded person was brought in the main part of the palace, much less the throne room. Because of that, it was easy to ignore it, I guess.” He hung his head in shame at his words.

All those years, he had comfortably lived in the palace, ignoring what was happening outside of those walls. His eyes landed once again on the map that hung on the wall. He thought of the people that had fled from Reinea and into Avon or even the unclaimed forest. He thought of the people unable to leave, forced to stay in a kingdom with a King who hated them.

“Then Jungwoo was arrested,” Tears filled his eyes, the map became blurry. “I was present for his questioning, I saw them find the locket and open it.”

Yuta squeezed their interlocked hands gently.

“It’s wrong what the King does,” Jaehyun said firmly. “It’s wrong how this kingdom treats magic bloods. I’ve always known it, but seeing Jungwoo beaten and held in that awful tower, woke me up.”

Slowly, he moved his gaze to meet Junmyeon’s eyes. “I want to do anything I can to help you, to help the Phoenix.”

A thoughtful expression had taken over Junmyeon’s face. It took all of Jaehyun’s willpower not to break eye contact.

“Would you go against the King for us?”

“I already have.”

Jaehyun could feel his heartbeat, pounding in his chest as he waited for a response. What he had said was true, he had already gone against his father for the Phoenix. He would do it again.

For a moment, Junmyeon looked as if he wanted to say more before he turned to Yuta and raising an eyebrow. 

“You can trust him.” Yuta said firmly.

Junmyeon nodded slowly and turned back to Jaehyun. “What made your abilities show themselves?”

Surprised, Jaehyun glanced at Yuta. He had assumed the other had reported what had happened. Yuta smiled softly and gestured for him to speak.

At the action, Jaehyun began to recount the story of the lake. He told them about how he had helped Jungwoo escape, something they already knew, and about how they had left the palace walls. His heart raced as he spoke of his father cornering them at the lake, and the guards swarming them. He glared down at his hands as he told them about how the lake had exploded and then how he had woken up in Yuta’s shop.

At the end of his story, he looked up to see Junmyeon staring thoughtfully at him again. For minutes, they sat in silence. No one else spoke, obviously waiting for Junmyeon. Finally, the other man looked away.

“Interesting,” He said thoughtfully. “It would make sense that something big would have to happen for your abilities to reveal themselves, especially since it took them so long to do so.”

“What do you mean?” Jaehyun asked, rushing to explain his question when the others only looked at him blankly. “I don’t know how people usually find out they have magic blood, so I don’t know what to compare it to.”

Junmyeon hummed thoughtfully and turned to Seulgi, gesturing for her to speak. The action caused Jaehyun to lean forward slightly. Seulgi had been quiet since Jaehyun had walked into the room; all she did was stare at him thoughtfully.

“Magic bloods are usually exposed in their teens,” Her voice was clear and straightforward, a stark contrast to Junmyeon’s calm tone. “The fact that your ‘snap’, as some have come to call it, occurred so late in your life is odd.”

Jaehyun’s eyebrows furrowed, he wasn’t aware of that. His mind went to Taeil, and how the other was able to sense where a magic blood was.

“So most magic blooded people that the Phoenix finds are teenagers? What about their families?”

Seulgi sighed softly. “You have to understand that a lot of older magic bloods were killed or captured either when the King declared magic illegal or when the original Phoenix fell.”

Jaehyun’s eyes quickly cut to Yuta remembering that the other had lost his parents. 

“That being said, there are many magic blood families in Reinea, either in hiding or living here.”

“So,” Jaehyun glanced around the table. “Do you try to find every magic blooded person in the kingdom?”

“We only step in when it’s obvious they’re suppressing their magic abilities or require assistance.” Jaehyun’s confused expression made a small smile form on Seulgi’s face. “The Phoenix is more than just a rebellion.” 

She glanced around the table quickly, hesitating before stating her next words. “We provide a safe place and schooling for magic bloods.”

“Schooling?”

Junmyeon cut in. “I wouldn’t call it schooling really. The reason magic bloods are so feared by the kingdom is due to their tendency to create chaos when they’re untrained. Here, we provide training to those young magic bloods who need it.”

“So the Phoenix goes out and finds magic blooded people who are untrained and helps them?”

Junmyeon nodded, a small smile on his lips. “Even with the magic blooded families that live in Reinea, not all guardians know how to train their children. Most reach out to us for help.”

The information made Jaehyun’s mind race; did that mean that Reinea had more magic blooded people than the King was aware of? If a lot of the younger magic bloods were hidden by the Phoenix, it was certainly possible.

“They all come here?”

“Either here or a safe house, it depends on their abilities,” Seulgi said, tapping the table with her nails. “Also depends on where in the kingdom they are, since our headquarters is on the outskirts, it’s not accessible to everyone.”

Jaehyun nodded, and his gaze landed on the table. The biggest problem with magic bloods was their tendency to create problems with their unmastered abilities. That was how deaths and accidents happened, and it was also how they were found out by the King. The Phoenix was actively searching for these magic blooded people before they snapped and exposed themselves. Jaehyun glanced around the table, taking in the people around him.

“Wow,” He breathed out. “That’s genius.”

Beside him, Johnny snorted and patted his arm. The action made Jaehyun blush slightly, knowing how naive he looked; yet, he couldn’t help it, he was amazed by the idea.

“Was that what the original Phoenix did as well?”

At his question, Yuta stiffened. “No,” His voice was soft. “They had a more violent approach.”

“When Yuta and Taeyong started this Phoenix, they decided that the main goal would be to provide training and a safe place for magic bloods.” Junmyeon spoke up, his eyes shining as he looked around the table.

His words made Jaehyun’s eyes widen. “Yuta and Taeyong what?”

He turned quickly to stare at Yuta who had his eyes closed tightly as if he hadn’t wanted Jaehyun to know.

“They were responsible for the rebirth of the Phoenix.” Junmyeon continued either unaware or uncaring of Yuta’s state. 

Jaehyun continued to look at Yuta in shock, glancing over at Taeyong briefly as well. How had he missed such an important piece of information? Yuta and Taeyong had founded this new Phoenix.

“Anyways,” Seulgi’s voice cut into Jaehyun’s thoughts. “That is the purpose of the Phoenix.”

Jaehyun tore his gaze from Yuta to look at the others. They were all staring at him expectantly as if waiting for him to say something. Finally, after the silence stretched too thin, Junmyeon clapped his hands together.

“Jaehyun, if you would please step out for a moment as we discuss our options.”

Slowly, Jaehyun stood up from his seat, pushing his chair back and walking to the door. One last glance over his shoulder, and he saw Yuta looking back at him fondly. The other startled as their gazes met, before sending him a wink.

A deep blush present on his face, Jaehyun exited the room, going to stand next to the staircase. He breathed in deeply, leaning his back against the railing as he looked around the level he was on. 

He was curious about what was through the other two doors but stayed in his spot. If he was caught snooping, they might think he was a spy for the King. At the thought, his heart rate sped up. He knew that they were discussing whether or not to let him stay, and the idea made him nauseous. 

Doyoung didn’t like him, if his comments about Jaehyun’s mother were anything to go by. The thought made Jaehyun’s face heat up in anger before he quickly pushed the feeling down. 

With a heavy sigh, he turned around so that he could look over the railing and down at the other levels. Like when he had arrived, a few people were doing the same as him, leaning over the railing to look at the rest of the mountain. 

The concept that he was inside of the mountain still confused Jaehyun, but he knew that magic was the reason. His eyes snagged on a young teenager a few levels up staring at him. The boy had fiery orange hair and a mischievous look on his face. As soon as he noticed Jaehyun looking back at him, he raised his hand in a wave, a smirk overtaking his features. Hesitantly, Jaehyun returned the wave, smiling when the boy waved more enthusiastically. 

“You can come back in now.”

Jaehyun jumped and turned around to see Yuta leaning against the doorway to the Leader’s Room, watching him with a small smile on his face. With a nod, Jaehyun pushed away from the railing, turning back to the level where the boy was only to find him gone. 

With a shake of his head, he turned and approached Yuta, who then gently took his hand. “It’ll be alright.”

The earnest look that filled Yuta’s eyes calmed Jaehyun’s nerves as he nodded again and followed the other back into the room.

No one had moved seats, so Jaehyun sat down in the same chair as before. He was aware of his heart beating loudly and wondered if anyone else could hear it. Yuta sat down beside him, their hands still loosely interlocked.

“Well,” Junmyeon began, his gaze settled on Jaehyun. “As you are an untrained magic blood, it would be unwise to not help you.”

Hesitantly, Jaehyun nodded along. The rest of the room went quiet as they all stared at him, seeming to wait for him to say something.

When he didn’t, Taeyong rolled his eyes. “You’re a bit dense.” Jaehyun blushed. “Basically, we’re offering you training on your newfound abilities.”

Hope and surprise alike bloomed within Jaehyun as he stared wide-eyed at those around the table. “Seriously?”

Seulgi almost looked as if she wanted to laugh as she nodded slowly. “For now, that’s all we can offer you.”

Junmyeon cut in before Jaehyun could respond. “While Yuta, Johnny, and Taeyong have vouched for you, we still must be cautious. I’m sure you understand.” 

Numbly, Jaehyun nodded. He knew that they couldn’t blindly trust him, no matter who stood up for him. Still, the thought made him want to scream, he was tired of constantly having to prove himself.

“Yuta has graciously offered that you stay with him for the time being.” Junmyeon continued. “Taeyong and Johnny will help assist in training you.”

Again, Jaehyun simply nodded, he didn’t know what to say. Overwhelming happiness suddenly filled him as he realized that he was staying, and he struggled not to smile too widely. He seemed to have failed, if Junmyeon’s amused expression was anything to go by. 

“I won’t let you down.” Jaehyun hurried to say, his words slurring together in his excitement. “You can trust me.”

Junmyeon leaned back in his chair, exchanging a small glance with Seulgi. “I sure hope so.”

 

\---

 

Jaehyun stepped off of the spiral staircase several levels up from the Leader’s Room, almost running into Yuta’s back as he did so. This level was empty of people and significantly smaller than the other rooms they had been in, with four hallways that went in different directions. 

The others had stayed in the Leader’s Room, claiming that it was alright for Yuta and Jaehyun to leave and go to bed.

“Why are your rooms here? And why are there no other people?”

Jaehyun turned his head to look at the other, only to see him blushing. 

“It’s uh,” Yuta’s voice was bashful. “This level’s for leaders only.”

Jaehyun’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “Leaders?”

He supposed it made sense that Yuta would be a leader, especially if he was one of the main reasons the Phoenix had been reborn.

“Yeah,” Yuta’s blush deepened as he pulled Jaehyun down the hallways directly in front of them. “There are four of us.”

“Who are the other three?” 

“Junmyeon, Seulgi, and Taeyong.”

Again, Jaehyun rose his eyebrows. “Not Doyoung?”

Yuta snorted. “Too hot-headed.”

He stopped in front of the only door at the end of the hallway. Slowly, he let go of Jaehyun’s hand and placed his own hand on the door. 

Without a second of delay, the door swung open to reveal the room beyond. 

The first thing Jaehyun thought was that it looked fairly similar to Yuta’s room back at his shop in the Capitol. There was a small cot in the corner, blankets piled high on its surface. Beside it was a small table where trinkets and small pieces of paper laid. From the ceiling, pots hung, some housed plants while others simply held books or other small things. On the farthest wall was a green couch that was home to more blankets, and had a small fireplace just next to it. 

Curious, Jaehyun observed the fire that suddenly lit up in the fireplace. He looked over at Yuta and blushed when the other winked at him. 

“Welcome to my home here.” Yuta said as Jaehyun made his way further into the room.

Not too big, the room felt well lived in. A small table was to the left of the door, with four chairs surrounding it. Different pots and plates sat on the surface, obviously used and unclean. 

At the sight, Jaehyun raised an eyebrow at Yuta who only shrugged in return.

“Was called to the mission at the Capitol pretty urgently, there was barely any time to pack, much less clean.”

Jaehyun smiled softly as he imagined a half-asleep Yuta running around the room, his hair sticking up in every direction as he gathered his things as quickly as he could. 

“You’ll have a busy day tomorrow,” Yuta said as he rummaged around for something on the table. “You’ll start training.”

Not knowing what to say, Jaehyun simply nodded. He suddenly felt exhausted, not even possessing the energy to ask one of the million questions he knew he had.

Yuta straightened up, making eye contact with Jaehyun as he did so. For a moment, the pair simply stared at each other. A rush of emotion filled Jaehyun as he thought of their conversation from the other night, and how Yuta had opened up to him. He suddenly wanted to hug the other, and thank him for everything that he had done to help him.

Before he could do something stupid like act on his urge, Yuta threw a towel at him, effectively dispelling his thoughts. Dazed, Jaehyun let the towel fall onto the floor before slowly bending to pick it up, groaning softly as he did so. Once he had stood up again, he saw Yuta with a hand pressed to his mouth, obviously struggling not to laugh.

“I’m tired.” Jaehyun explained, a slight whine to his tone. 

He felt a bit awestruck at Yuta's expression. The other's eyes were smiling, his whole face lit up as he tried not to laugh. Jaehyun wished he would drop the hand that covered half of his face so that he could see his smile.

“I’m glad you’re here.”

The words were soft, yet filled with a playfulness that matched the atmosphere. 

Jaehyun smiled widely in response, warmth filling him. “I’m glad that I’m here too.”

The small light that the fire emitted softened Yuta's sharp features and Jaehyun suddenly had to dig his nails into his arm to make himself look away.

Dropping his hand from his mouth, yet still smiling softly, Yuta pointed to the only other door in the room. “There’s a washroom just through there. You can wash up before bed if you’d like.”

Jaehyun looked down at his disheveled appearance and his mud-caked boots. Nodding, he made his way through the other door, gingerly stepping over a discarded shirt on the floor.

A couple of minutes later, he exited the washroom, his hair dripping from his bath, and found Yuta sitting at his table, reading something. At his entrance, the other looked up at him, offering a soft smile as he stood up.

“You can take the bed,” Yuta moved to go into the washroom. “I’ll sleep on the couch.”

Jaehyun nodded, fighting off the blush that arose at the urge to remind Yuta that they had shared a bed before. 

Settling down on the bed, Jaehyun pulled the blankets around him and let out a sigh. It was nice to finally be sleeping in a bed again. Exhausted, he turned over so that he was facing the wall. 

A small smile graced his lips as he thought about how the day had gone; he had been allowed to stay at the headquarters. On top of that, he was going to learn more about his abilities and how to control them. 

Junmyeon and Seulgi may not completely trust him yet, but apparently, Taeyong and Yuta did. He wasn’t sure how it had been decided that he would stay, but he knew that the four leaders ultimately made the decision. He was suddenly glad Doyoung wasn’t one of the leaders to decide his fate.

With another sigh, he turned again so that he could look at the fire in the fireplace. The flames flickered softly in a comforting way that reminded him of Yuta’s eyes. 

Slowly, his eyes began to droop, the events of the day fully catching up with him. In the back of his mind, he was vaguely aware of the washroom door opening and Yuta stepping into the room. He approached the cot carefully and the bed shifted as he sat down beside Jaehyun. Almost asleep, Jaehyun groggily leaned into the hand that rested on his cheek softly. The touch filled him with comfort and he drifted off into a peaceful, dreamless sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ahh so finally some description of the headquarters. sorry if this was a bit boring or too full of them in the Leader's Room, but I felt it was important to introduce all of the leaders and had Jaehyun interact with all of them.  
> honestly, a part of me feels like this fic can be a bit confusing sometimes so if ur really confused by something, please let me know. ill try to explain as best i can, unless its something that'll be revealed in future chapters :)  
> as always, thank you for readinggg


	14. Chapter 14

“You’re not focusing.”

The room was almost completely dark, only a few candles were still lit. The small flames flickered slightly with every frustrated breath that was let out.

A bead of sweat rolled down Jaehyun’s face; his eyes burned as he stared unblinkingly at the bowl of water that sat on the table in front of him. Across the table, was Taeyong, expression hard as he waited with his hands twisted together.

It had been two full weeks since Jaehyun had entered the Phoenix headquarters. Since then, he had rarely left the level of the rooms that the four leaders lived in. 

“Focus.”

With a shake of his head, Jaehyun leaned closer to the bowl, staring down at the incredibly still water. 

Every day, he woke up just as the sun was rising, blearily moving from Yuta’s room to Taeyong’s. Every day, he sat at the stupid table that was in the middle of Taeyong’s room. Every day, he stared at a bowl of water, willing for it to do something.

“Jae.”

Frustrated, Jaehyun let his eyes shut and his head drop onto the table. A low thud echoed throughout the room at the action. He heard Taeyong sigh but ignored it in favor of letting the coolness of the table soothe his headache.

“It takes practice.” Taeyong bluntly stated.

Slowly, Jaehyun raised his head and stuck his hand in the water, sighing as a feeling of comfort filled him. That was all he got. Comfort. 

He had been practicing unrelentlessly since he arrived, and all that has ever happened was one small ripple and the feeling of comfort that overwhelmed him when he touched the water.

“It took me years to master my Elemental abilities.” Taeyong continued, repeating words Jaehyun had heard a million times now. “We’ll figure out exactly what yours is, all you need to do is practice.”

Jaehyun groaned. “It’s been weeks, you would think my magic would show itself already.”  
Taeil had told Jaehyun that every magic blood had a unique ability. They knew that he was an Elemental and that his magic ability revolved around water, yet they still didn’t know exactly what he could do.

“Patience, Jaehyun.”

Taeyong was the one that was attempting to train him. Being an Elemental himself, Taeyong understood what Jaehyun was going through more than anyone else. 

Suddenly, the door to Taeyong’s room opened and through it, came Yuta.

“Sorry I’m late,” He was holding two trays, full of food. “The line was really long.”

Happiness bloomed in Jaehyun’s chest at the sight of the other. Quickly, he scrambled to make room on the table, shoving the bowl of water to the side and moving his chair over. Across the table, Taeyong grinned at him.

“It’s alright,” Jaehyun said, ignoring Taeyong. “I’m starving though.”

Yuta set the trays on the table, before turning to the empty fireplace and yanking off his glove.

“You let the fire go out.” His voice was whiny as he knelt down, letting his hand touch the ash softly. 

Another moment and a small fire was flickering. Yuta leaned back, a satisfied smile on his face, before standing up with a groan.

Taeyong smiled briefly at his friend. “We must’ve gotten distracted.” 

Often, the two of them sat unmoving for hours, the time somehow racing by. They tried a myriad of different techniques in order to get Jaehyun’s ability to show itself. Sometimes, Taeyong would throw water at him, hoping that his abilities would deflect it. Other times, they would read book after book, the subject always being about what was known in the world about water elementals. There wasn’t much.

Most days though, they would sit in silence, staring at the bowl of water. Those days went by the fastest for some reason. 

Yuta rolled his eyes as he sat in the chair next to Jaehyun and leaned back. He sent him a small smile before pushing one of the trays forward.

“It’s soup today.”

Jaehyun quickly began eating, tuning out Taeyong and Yuta’s conversation in favor of savoring the food. 

Every day, Yuta stopped by at lunchtime and brought them food. It let Jaehyun take a break from training, and he was happy for it. He was getting restless with the same routine; he wanted to see more of the headquarters, he wanted to do more.

“Johnny said hello.”

Jaehyun perked up at Yuta’s words; he missed seeing Johnny, as well as Jungwoo. He understood that the Phoenix needed to be cautious with trusting him, but he was tired of doing the same thing every day. He enjoyed seeing Yuta, and Taeyong had become a surprisingly comforting presence in his everyday life; yet, he still longed to see other people as well.

“Tell him that I miss him.” 

Yuta nodded, his hand briefly brushed against Jaehyun’s shoulder.

“Tell him that I miss him as well,” Taeyong said, scowling down at his own soup. “The idiot never stops by anymore.”

Jaehyun watched Yuta throw back his head to laugh. His hair was down completely, and the movement of tilting his head made it fall away from his face, the long strands flowing gracefully down his back. For a moment, Jaehyun felt awestruck as he took in how Yuta’s eyes crinkled, and the shape of his smile. With red cheeks, he quickly turned back to his soup.

“You know he’s busy getting used to being back.” Yuta said, still grinning.

Taeyong huffed. “Whatever, it’s not like I haven’t spent alone time with him in years.” He sighed. “You know, he used to be such a romantic.”

Jaehyun cringed at the words, feeling his cheeks redden for a different reason. He didn’t want to hear about Johnny’s love life.

Yuta rolled his eyes at his best friend. “Shut up please.”

“You shut up,” Taeyong’s eyes darted to Jaehyun quickly. “You’re just jealous because you're lonely.”

At the words, Yuta spluttered and Jaehyun watched in interest as the other’s ears turned red. 

“Please,” Yuta leaned forward. “Please stop talking.”

Taeyong simply shrugged and went back to eating. Perplexed, Jaehyun stared at Yuta for another moment, who was looking pointedly at his soup, his hair falling forward to cover his face.

They continued to eat in silence before Yuta spoke up, looking far less flustered. “How’s training?”

Jaehyun resisted the urge to groan; the other asked him this every night before they went to bed. 

“The same.” He sighed, moving his spoon around in his now-empty bowl.

Yuta rested a still ungloved hand on his shoulder softly. “Don’t push yourself too hard.”

Feeling shy, Jaehyun ducked his head, ignoring the small chuckle that came from Taeyong.

“Actually, we have some progress.” 

Confused, Jaehyun tilted his head at Taeyong’s claim. He wasn’t aware that they had achieved anything.

Taeyong flashed a wicked grin, pointing to the table in front of them. When Jaehyun had hurriedly moved the bowl to make room for the food, the water had spilled slightly onto the table. Gasping to himself, he saw that the few droplets were completely frozen.

“What?” His voice sounded hoarse as he looked up at the other two.

Yuta’s entire face was lit up in a smile, and he was looking at Jaehyun like he was the greatest thing ever. The attention made the butterflies in his stomach go wild.

“It happened when Yuta walked in,” Taeyong winked, looking smug. “I guess the excitement of eating got to you.”

Jaehyun felt his face heat up at what Taeyong was implying; that he had been so excited to see Yuta, he had frozen the water.

Oblivious, Yuta reached forward and took Jaehyun’s hand. “This is amazing,” His eyes were bright. “I’m so proud of you.”

Oh god. 

Across the table, Taeyong snorted as Jaehyun’s face turned even redder. The way Yuta was looking at him made him want to simultaneously hide under the table and jump for joy.

Stuttering, Jaehyun gently pulled his hand away. “Thanks,” He quickly looked away. “I didn’t mean to though.”

Taeyong shrugged. “Still progress.”

“I’ve been talking with Junmyeon,” Jaehyun perked up at Yuta’s change in subject. “Hopefully, I can give you that tour I promised soon.”

“About two weeks late.”

Yuta chuckled. “Sorry, I honestly thought,” He sighed “well.”

He went silent and Jaehyun understood. He had thought Jaehyun would be allowed to do something, to leave the level. 

“It’s alright.” He was careful to keep his voice light even through his bitterness.

He knew it wasn’t Yuta’s fault, that it wasn’t anyone’s really. The Phoenix had to be careful, especially when it came to him.

With a sudden clap of his hands, Yuta stood up from the table, beginning to collect the dirty dishes. “Well on that note, I better get going,” Jaehyun pouted as Yuta moved to the door. “I’ll see you tonight, Jae.”

The smile Yuta threw his way made his pout completely vanish. “See you.”

With one last wave, Yuta exited the room, the door clicking shut quietly behind him. When Jaehyun turned back to Taeyong, the other looked incredibly amused.

“Shut up.” Jaehyun groaned, moving the bowl of water back to the center of the table.

Taeyong raised his hands up in defense. “I didn’t say anything.”

Grumbling to himself, Jaehyun leaned his elbows on the table, lazily letting his chin fall onto his hand. With Yuta’s bright smile on his mind, he stared down at the water, willing it to do something once again. 

 

 

\---

 

The next day, Jaehyun found himself being dragged out of bed at an unimaginable hour. Groaning, he attempted to fight the strong grip on his arm.

A laugh sounded from above him. “Get up, sleepyhead.”

Squinting his eyes, Jaehyun looked up at the person still pulling him. Yuta stood before him, dressed and ready for the day. He had his hair tied up into a high ponytail, and was wearing all black, the top four buttons of his shirt were left unbuttoned so that Jaehyun could see his collarbones and part of his chest.

Blushing, Jaehyun hurriedly looked away, but not before catching sight of the black trousers that hung to Yuta’s frame nicely. With a groan at his own thoughts, Jaehyun sat up. He was aware that he looked terrible; his hair was frizzy and his eyes were still half-closed. The air in the room was cold since the fire from the night before was gone. His face felt hot as he pulled a blanket up around his shoulders, using it to hide his blush from view, with only his eyes peeking out at the man in front of him.

Yuta stared back fondly for a moment before throwing a blue shirt at him. Jaehyun jumped back as the shirt hit him squarely in the face.

“What’s up with you and throwing things at me?”

“Just come on,” Yuta laughed, ignoring Jaehyun’s question and turning away to mess with something on the table. “Johnny’s waiting for you.”

Surprise coursed through Jaehyun. “Johnny?”

Yuta only hummed softly and turned away.

Filled with confusion and excitement, Jaehyun stood up from the comfort of the bed groggily, pulling the shirt Yuta had thrown at him over his head, before shuffling to the couch, where a pair of brown trousers sat folded for him. Stumbling over himself, he dressed quickly, only losing his balance and falling back against the couch three times before he finished.

Once he had brushed his hair out of his eyes, he turned to Yuta expectedly. The other sat at the table, staring pointedly at his own gloved hands.

Fighting another blush at the realization that he had just changed right in front of Yuta, Jaehyun moved to the door. “Ready.”

Yuta stood up quickly and gestured for him to follow him out of the room. Just like the first day Jaehyun had arrived, they took the spiral staircase, the feeling of the odd movement making Jaehyun dizzy in the early hours of the morning. This time, they went down, to one of the lower levels. As he stepped off of the staircase, he saw Johnny waiting for him in the center of the large room.

It was like the indoor training rooms at the palace, the ones he didn’t often go to. The room was about the same size as the first level, and there were six training arenas, where people were sparring with swords as well as other weapons. Quite a few people lingered around the large space, eyes roaming over the pairs of fighters that were in each arena. 

“What are we doing here?”

Yuta glanced at him briefly, as if distracted. “You needed a break from training your magical abilities.”

Once Johnny saw Jaehyun, he smiled widely and gestured for him to come over. Jaehyun approached the second arena, startling slightly when Yuta left his side to approach a girl standing by the second arena. Jaehyun watched them converse for a moment, taking note of how happy Yuta looked before he turned back to Johnny. 

“Welcome to the Fourth Level,” Johnny exclaimed, clapping Jaehyun on the back. “It’s good to see you.”

Jaehyun smiled up at his friend before looking around the room again. After two weeks of only being on one level, Jaehyun felt a little overwhelmed.

“How many levels are there?” He asked, remembering his question from the first day he had arrived.

“About fifteen,” Johnny laughed at Jaehyun’s surprised expression. “Each one has its’ own purpose.”

“Will I get to see all of them?”

“Maybe one day.”

Jaehyun simply nodded, resisting the urge to pout at the vague answer. Instead, he looked back at Yuta who now had a group of people surrounding him. Their faces were happy as they each tried to catch his attention. Jaaehyun thought they looked like moths drawn to a bright and beautiful flame.

“Yuta’s important around here, and he’s been gone for months. They’re excited to see their leader return.”

Jaehyun remained silent, nodding at Johnny’s words as he watched Yuta hug an older woman; the smile plastered on his face was breathtaking.

With great difficulty, he tore his eyes from Yuta and moved them to the pair sparring in the arena in front of him. He startled when he recognized Doyoung, his hair was slicked back and he held a wooden sword out in front of him. His partner was a boy, a few years younger than him, who wore a surprisingly fierce expression.

It looked as if Doyoung was shouting instructions at the boy, using his sword to correct the other’s foot stance.

“They’ll be done in a minute,” Johnny said from beside him. “Doyoung just likes to use up every minute of the training time.”

“He’s training that boy?”

For some reason, the idea surprised Jaehyun. Doyoung had been so cold toward him every time they had crossed paths. The fact that he was training a boy didn’t fit the image Jaehyun had conjured up in his head.

“His apprentice, yeah.”

The boy quickly dodged one of Doyoung’s swings and Jaehyun tilted his head in confusion at the smile that spread on Doyoung’s face.  
“Apprentice?”

Johnny seemed amused at Jaehyun’s confusion.

“Some older members of the Phoenix mentor the younger ones. Teach them magic and sword fighting and other important stuff,” He puffed his chest out. “So, in some ways, you’re my apprentice.”

Jaehyun turned from the arena to elbow Johnny in the stomach. “Apprentice my ass.”

Johnny doubled over, clutching the spot Jaehyun had hit as he laughed silently. A smile of his own broke out on Jaehyun’s face before he turned back to the arena. 

It looked like the pair had finished training, Doyoung now had an arm slung around the boy’s shoulders. As they approached the edge of the training pad, they stopped in front of Jaehyun and Johnny.

Immediately, Doyoung’s gaze darkened and he pulled the boy just a little more into his side. Without speaking, he nodded stiffly to Jaehyun, narrowing his eyes as he did so.

Something flared within Jaehyun as he mirrored the other’s expression. It was as if Doyoung was challenging him. After a moment of silently glaring at each other, Doyoung turned on his heel and walked away, pulling the boy along with him. Jaehyun watched them retreat, his face feeling hot. 

A hand on his shoulder made him look away, and he saw Johnny watching him worriedly. “Jae?” 

He shook his head slightly, tampering down the competitive side within him as he turned his full attention to his friend.

“You up for some sparring?” Johnny asked softly.

Surprised, Jaehyun nervously looked around at the other people in the large room. No one was paying attention to him, but he still felt a few eyes on his back. 

“They don’t know who you are,” Johnny whispered in his ear. “Don’t worry.”

Jaehyun felt something tighten around his chest. He knew that people might react badly when they found out his true identity, but he wasn’t sure he liked hiding it from the people here.

“Jae.”

He raised his eyes to see Johnny looking at him expectantly, holding a wooden sword that looked identical to the ones they had used at the palace. With a small sigh, Jaehyun took the sword and followed Johnny out onto the training pad. 

Slowly, they began to go through their normal exercises. Jaehyun still felt nervous at the people all around them and annoyed at the sighting of Doyoung. However, as they went through the familiar and comforting movements that they both knew so well, he felt himself relax.

Suddenly, he didn’t have a heavyweight on his shoulders; he wasn’t worried about who he really was and if the Phoenix would continue to let him stay. At that moment, he was just a man with a sword. 

He rolled his sleeves up quickly, darting his gaze over to see that Yuta, as well as a few other people, had gathered around the arena to watch him and Johnny. With his heart pounding, he focused back on his opponent.

Johnny gave him a small smile and raised his sword. Matching the movement of the other, Jaehyun quickly lunged forward. With ease, Johnny dodged his attempt and countered with his own swing. For countless minutes, they went on. Their sparring was like a well-rehearsed dance that left Jaehyun with a happy feeling in his chest. 

Soon, they were both panting, their swords hanging down by their sides, and huge smiles on their faces. Johnny laughed and moved forward to clap Jaehyun on his shoulder.

“You still got it.”

Jaehyun leaned into Johnny’s touch. He was happy that even though he had spent two weeks only practicing magical abilities, he hadn’t lost his sword-fighting skills. His newfound magic was a stranger to him, yet his sword-fighting would forever be one of his closest friends. 

“All right, enough.”

They turned to see Yuta standing beside them, his eyes narrowed slightly. The scene reminded Jaehyun of when the two of them had spared at the palace.

“Back for a rematch?” He joked, smiling as Yuta scowled.

“You wish,” Yuta flicked his hair out his face. “I have a meeting to attend, and someone wants to see you, Jae.”

Suddenly, the lightness that had filled Jaehyun emptied. He couldn’t think of one person at the headquarters, besides those he was already with, who would want to see him for a good reason. 

“Don’t look so scared,” Yuta said reassuringly, eyes earnest. “It’ll be alright.”

Numbly, Jaehyun nodded before moving forward to follow Yuta off of the training pad.

A touch to his arm halted him. “I’m happy to see you.” Johnny’s voice was truthful and his smile was pure.

Regaining some warmth in his chest, Jaehyun offered a small smile.

“You too.”

Yuta left him on the fourth floor, with a small hug that left them both a little flustered. As he watched the stairs move, taking Yuta to whichever level his meeting was on, Jaehyun rested his arms against the railing. 

His mind wandered to the day before, when he had accidentally frozen those drops of water upon Yuta’s interest. What was it about Yuta that caused Jaehyun to react like that? With a sigh, he ran his hand through his hair.

“Taking a break?”

The sudden voice caused Jaehyun to jump back, his fingers clutching the railing as his heart raced.

“Sorry,” Junmyeon smiled softly at him. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”

Jaehyun slowly uncurled his fingers. “It’s alright.” His voice sounded drained, even to his own ears.

Junmyeon leaned against the railing as well, looking down at the levels below. He didn’t speak, and so Jaehyun matched his stance, allowing his eyes to roam. Just barely, he could make out a figure getting onto the staircase from a level two floors below them. Shouts diverted his attention to the level directly above them, where a group of children played by the railing.

“It’s like a community.” Jaehyun said softly, his eyes following the children as they played tag.

Junmyeon chuckled beside him. “Beautiful, isn’t it?”

Jaehyun hummed in agreement, before looking up at the ceiling that fascinated him. The various colors filled him with a strange warmth.

“You see why we must protect it.”

Jaehyun turned his head to the side to see Junmyeon looking back at him, his gaze curious.

“It’s my job to provide a safe place for all of these people,” He rested his chin in his hand. “So I must apologize for the caution we are obligated to take when it comes to you.”

More playful shouting sounded from the children above them as Jaehyun remained silent.

“The ring was your mothers, yes?”

Jaehyun startled at the sudden question before nodding slowly.

“She uh,” Junmyeon rubbed the back of his neck. “I believe that she was a great contributor to the Phoenix.”

At Jaehyun’s confused expression, he laughed. 

“We had a powerful ally in the palace, one that provided us with valuable information in the days of the original Phoenix. After the King tracked down all of the leaders, we lost contact with the ally.”

Junmyeon squinted at him. “I believe the ally was your mother,” Jaehyun coughed loudly in surprise. “She would meet up with us somewhere in the Capital, and she always wore that ring. Of course, none of us knew who she was exactly at the time.”

Jaehyun looked down at the ring on his finger, thumbing the stone softly. 

“If that ring was truly your mothers, she was a part of the original Phoenix.”

“Is that why you let me stay?” 

Junmyeon grinned. “It was the deciding factor; although, only the four leaders know of it, so don’t be too mad at Johnny for not mentioning it, he’s unaware.”

Jaehyun nodded, his mind suddenly going to Yuta, who had obviously known.

“We have decided to trust you, Jaehyun.” Junmyeon continued, eyes serious. 

The heaviness in the other’s voice betrayed his emotion, as did the tears beginning to fill his eyes. It was obvious that the Phoenix meant everything to Junmyeon, and deciding to trust Jaehyun was a big deal.

“Now,” Junmyeon suddenly clapped and looked away, his face lighting up. “I was hoping you could enlighten us on what exactly is happening between Avon and Reinea royals.”

Jaehyun swallowed, looking down at his hands as he did so. He wanted to help the Phoenix in any way that he could, but he didn’t know much about what Junmyeon was asking.

“I know that this war has been a long time coming,” Junmyeon nodded along with his words. 

Squinting his eyes, Jaehyun thought back to his time with Sicheng in the palace library. Sicheng often went on rants about whatever he felt was important that day. Jaehyun knew that he had mentioned a lot about Avon and Reinea.

“Back when magic was legal here, and there were different rulers, Avon and Reinea were allies.” Sicheng had said to an uninterested Jaehyun several months ago.

Jaehyun had been dozing off as his friend talked, his gaze glued to the window that led outside.

“Then the King of Reinea and the Queen of Avon had a falling out,” Sicheng continued. “Your grandfather, I believe. I think the issues were borders, like always. But I’m sure magic had something to do with it as well.”

That had caught Jaehyun’s attention and he quickly asked what Sicheng had meant.

The other had frowned. “Avon and Reinea were always the two kingdoms known for embracing magic, there was sure to be competition. Something specific happened between the rulers to cause such a rift; although, I’m not sure what exactly.”

Shaking his head, Jaehyun made himself refocus on the present, where Junmyeon was standing before him, patiently waiting for answers.

“I think the issues started with my grandfather.” Junmyeon tilted his head, gesturing for Jaehyun to go on.

Obediently, Jaehyun relayed what he remembered from Sicheng’s rant. When he finished, Junmyeon was looking thoughtfully down at the first level.

“Sorry I don’t have more,” Jaehyun said regretfully. 

He didn’t want to tell Junmyeon that he hadn’t been allowed to often sit in on meetings his father and his advisors had concerning Avon. Already, he was afraid the Phoenix would realize how little help he would be and throw him out.

“It’s alright,” Junmyeon pulled away from the railing. “From today onward, you will have lessons with Johnny in the morning and then resume your work with Taeyong for the rest of the day.”

Jaehyun nodded along, fighting to keep a smile off of his face.

“I apologize for the past two weeks, but your magic needed time to develop.”

Again, Jaehyun nodded, ignoring Junmyeon’s unsaid words. He knows that they had kept him doing the same thing for two weeks so that they could determine what to do with him.

“Taeyong tells me that you’ve seen some progress.”

Jaehyun fought the urge to groan. “Barely anything.”

“Don’t worry,” Junmyeon smiled. “All magic takes time. Yours is recently discovered, and Elemental at that. You’re doing just fine.”

Softly, Jaehyun thanked him and watched as he retreated down the staircase and to another level. For a moment, he stood there in silence, taking in everything. His mind went back to his mother and what Junmyeon had told him; was it possible that she had been involved in the Phoenix? A sense of pride filled him; he was gladder than ever to be where he was. He thought back to the stifling palace, full of nobles with their fake smiles and his brother with his cold gaze. 

With a shiver, he turned away from the railing and went back into the training room. 

 

Later that night, Jaehyun walked into Yuta’s rooms with a heavy sigh. Somehow, Yuta had made it so that Jaehyun could open the door with just a press of his hand, just like Yuta did. The thought that he trusted him enough made a blush taint his cheeks.

Plopping down in the armchair next to the fireplace, Jaehyun closed his eyes. After his training with Johnny had ended, he had gone straight to Taeyong’s rooms to practice magic. Another long afternoon was spent staring at a bowl of water. 

His eyes stung and he pressed the heels of his palms into them slightly. He was so tired; it felt like he had gotten no real rest since he had left the palace. Even then, he often had nightmares. His mind went to the basket of fabrics and beads that sat in the palace kitchen, untouched for the weeks he had been gone. 

A part of him hoped Sicheng was making bracelets. The other certainly knew of Jaehyun’s midnight habits and had sometimes accompanied him to the kitchens. 

Suddenly, the door that led to the bathroom swung open and out stepped Yuta. Throwing a hand over his racing heart, Jaehyun slumped down into the chair.

“You scared me,” Jaehyun breathed out. “I didn’t know you were here.”

He heard the other laugh and rustle around behind him. “Sorry.”

Jaehyun didn’t sit back up; instead, he opted to stare at the empty fireplace while ignoring the sounds of Yuta putting on clothes. After a moment, Yuta appeared before him, crouching down in front of the fireplace. 

The scene was similar to what he often saw in Taeyong’s rooms when Yuta came to bring them lunch. Yuta never failed to relight the fire to warm the room, something he did even now. Jaehyun watched fondly as his ungloved hands rose and out came small bursts of fire that caught onto the wood still left in the fireplace.

“You keep letting that go out.”

Jaehyun scoffed. “I just got here.”

Yuta turned toward him, a small smile on his face as he sat down on the floor. The pair simply stared at each other, taking in each other’s appearance. 

Yuta’s hair was dripping with water, evidence of his recent wash-up. His long red shirt hung down to his knees and slid off of one shoulder. The pale skin of his collarbone was illuminated by the firelight. 

With a gulp, Jaehyun tore his eyes from the man before him, focusing instead on the fire. 

“Even so, I like when you relight the fireplace.” The soothing  
atmosphere the small fire emitted coaxed the admission from him.

Yuta’s smile hardened for a moment, before smoothing out, and Jaehyun hurried to continue.

“Your fire is beautiful.”

And it was. The fire that Yuta created was different than ordinary fire. The red of it was stronger, and the orange was brighter. There was something almost holy about it. Jaehyun focused on the fire within the fireplace, his eyes stuck to the way it flickered. It matched the fire that often filled Yuta’s eyes.

“You say that now,” Jaehyun slid his gaze over to Yuta. “When it’s small and harmless.”

For a moment, Jaehyun simply studied the other’s eyes. The fire still raged within them, and it brought a thrill throughout his body.

“Sure, fire is dangerous,” He began softly. “Even a small fire like the one right there. Just one more push and it could burn throughout the entire room.”

Yuta stayed silent as Jaehyun spoke.

“Just because something can’t be controlled doesn’t make it any less beautiful.” He said as he studied the dangerous fire within Yuta’s gaze.

Yuta lowered his eyes to the floor; his hair fell around his face like a curtain.

“You know, before my magic exposed itself, I wanted to have fire.” Yuta’s voice was vulnerable and far off as if he wasn’t entirely there. 

“When I was younger, and still waiting to know what magic ability I would have, I longed for Elemental, for fire.”

He sighed softly and looked up again, yet his gaze was locked on a spot just above Jaehyun’s left shoulder as if he couldn’t look at him directly.

“I used to play this game when the candles were burning in my house. I would go up to them and put my hand as close as I could get without burning my skin. Then, I would pretend the fire of the candle was my own.”

Yuta’s smile was sad. “I wanted to be like my father.”

Jaehyun kept his face carefully blank as the other’s gaze slid over to him. Still, he could hear his heart pounding in his head.

“Your father?”

“They called him the Prince of the Phoenix.”

A crackle from the fire rang out within the space between them. At the sound, Jaehyun jumped slightly. 

The original Phoenix’s leader was called the Prince of the Phoenix. Flashes of his mother pulling him inside the palace, whispering that it wasn’t safe outside raced through his head. He remembered the frantic yells of servants and nobles alike, all screaming that another attack had occurred. 

The Phoenix wasn’t always as peaceful as it now was; the original one was full of violent attacks against the royal family and the palace.

“You see now why it was so hard for me to be around you in the beginning.” Yuta said sadly.

Numbly, Jaehyun stared at the fire, a pang resounding in his chest. Yuta had been raised by the man who had so often tried to end Jaehyun’s own family. The man who created the entire violent rebellion that the Phoenix used to be. 

As young as he had been, Jaehyun still remembered the fear in his mother’s eyes when there had been another attack. His mother.

“Junmyeon said my mother used to help the Phoenix.”

Yuta looked surprised as he nodded slowly. Something prickled within Jaehyun’s chest as he remembered the other had omitted from telling him this information, and he had instead learned it from Junmyeon.

“So how could your father continue to try and ruin her and her family?”

Yuta’s eyebrows furrowed. “No one knew it was your mother, all we knew was that she was of high status. Now, the ring you wear proves her true identity.”

“But your father still continued his attacks on the palace, knowing that an informant of the Phoenix was in there?”

A shadow passed over Yuta’s face as he let out a long breath. “I don’t pretend that everything my father did was right,” His eyes narrowed. “Not even for a second. His violent intentions were out of anger and were what he thought was best to defeat the King. Those days of the Phoenix are behind us.”

Jaehyun’s eyes blurred with unshed tears as he shook his head. “You knew my mother used to help the Phoenix, yet you didn’t tell me.” His head throbbed. “You hate me so much because of your father.”

Suddenly, Yuta was directly in front of him, a hand tightly gripping his chin.

“Do not pretend that you wouldn’t have felt the same in my situation.” His eyes burned. “But I know you now, and I know that my initial hatred was unfair. Don’t treat me as if I’m my father. You more than anyone should know that our fathers don’t define us.”

Jaehyun sniffed, shame immediately coursing through him. He became vaguely aware of Yuta’s thumb softly moving back and forth on his cheek. 

“I don’t hate you, Jae.” Yuta’s voice had suddenly turned soft. “I’m not my father, and you aren’t yours.”

Silence filled the room as Jaehyun nodded slowly. The fire simmered down slightly, the flames lowering as if matching the mood.

“You’re right, I’m sorry,” A lone tear rolled down his cheek. “I’m sorry.”

Yuta’s gaze was kind, the fire welcoming. 

“Sometimes,” Jaehyun’s voice was thick with emotion. “Sometimes I’m scared that I’ll become my father.”

He pointedly looked at the fire, its features continuing to blur as he spoke.

“I know that my knowledge of the outside world is limited. My mother raised me, yes, but after that, I raised myself. My father was the only person I could look up to, and even after everything he’s done to me, and this kingdom, a part of me still wants his approval.”

Yuta’s eyes were sad, yet understanding. Within them, Jaehyun found more strength to continue.

“I’m scared I’ll become like my brother,” He sniffed. “My mother told me to forgive my father. To this day, I don’t understand.”

He went silent as his mother’s kind face flashed in his mind. How was he supposed to forgive his father for everything? He didn’t want to.

“The first time we met, I was fascinated by you.”

Surprised by the sudden shift in conversation, Jaehyun’s sniffling abruptly halted.

“What?”

“You know, when you were running from those people,” An amused smile had made its way onto Yuta’s lips. “And I saved you.”

“You didn’t,” Jaehyun spluttered. “You didn’t save me, you just helped me.”

Yuta bit his lip as if to hold back his smile. “Sure, sure. Without me, they would’ve caught you.”

“That’s so not true. I was about to lose them anyway.”

Yuta laughed softly, his hand dropping from Jaehyun’s face. The movement startled him, he hadn’t realized the other had still been holding his chin.

“You seemed so naive,” Yuta said, his eyes searching Jaehyun’s expression. “You were obviously exhausted from running and just a little frightened for your life. But your eyes, they were bright and alive and full of magic. I had never seen anything like that.”

The fire crackled loudly and Yuta shut his eyes tightly for a moment before reopening them. 

“That moment, that was completely you. Completely Jaehyun. Not the Second Prince of Reinea, not your brother or your father or even your mother, just you.”

His lips parted slightly at Yuta’s words.

“When I first grabbed your arm, it felt as if I had been shocked,” He continued, tapping Jaehyun’s knee softly. “Now I know that it was our magic that did it; fire and water. But at the time, I was just fascinated.”

Jaehyun found himself leaning forward, closer and closer to the other. Yuta’s hand rested lightly on his knee, radiating the usual warmth that he always seemed to carry.

“I think that’s why it hit so hard when I found out who you were because I had felt your magic and become attached already.”

The admission was honest and Yuta’s gaze had darted to the floor as if it was too much to look at Jaehyun. Silence hung between them, wrapping around their bodies like a thin blanket.

“I felt the same way,” Jaehyun spoke up. “Fascinated I mean.”

He remembered meeting Yuta, how interested he had been in the other man. The excitement that had flowed through him.

Their gazes met, and Jaehyun couldn’t help but lean even more forward. It was like he was under a spell, unable to look away from the fire that flickered in Yuta’s eyes. 

“I still am.” He said softly, completely vulnerable.  
He felt safe and warm, and a tingly feeling flowed through him. He could stay like this, with Yuta, forever. 

As soon as he had registered the thought, Yuta’s face changed. His open expression darkened and his gaze hardened as he pulled back slightly.

“I guess that’s because of our magic.”

Yuta’s words shattered the comfortable atmosphere and Jaehyun quickly sat back in his chair. His heart fell and he was quick to close his eyes. He didn’t know what was wrong with him; of course, it was the magic.

“Yeah,” He said weakly as Yuta stood up. “The magic.”

Without turning around, Yuta pulled his cloak on from where it had been sitting on the table.

“I have a meeting to go to, don’t wait up.”

Jaehyun felt his heart sink even further when the door shut tightly behind the other. An ache began in his chest; how had he felt so at home with Yuta only to suddenly lose the feeling seconds later?

He shivered at the sudden coolness that flooded the room and glanced over at the fireplace where the once comforting fire had blown out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> .. slow burn.. hopefully yall are still reading despite the frustrating slow burn i've created..  
> but yeahh sorry for such the late post, classes have started again soooo that's fun. just wanted to say that this entire work in unbeta and so many details go into the plot that I sometimes forget the small things despite how hard I try not to. so if anything contradicts something I've written in previous chapters, please let me know:) I hope everyone enjoyed!


	15. Chapter 15

Yuta was avoiding him, that much was clear. 

For the past few days, Jaehyun had only seen him in the mornings and late at night, when they were going to bed. The countless number of times he had failed to get Yuta’s attention stung; Jaehyun had no idea what he had done to make the other avoid him so much.

Even Taeyong had been confused when Johnny had started to bring them lunch during their training instead of Yuta.

“Where’s lover boy?” 

Jaehyun hadn’t even blushed at the nickname Taeyong had called Yuta. Instead, he shrugged helplessly. 

“No idea.”

“He’ll get over it.”

The comment was an odd one to make, but it still comforted him to hear. Taeyong was Yuta’s best friend, he knew him best.

Jaehyun had balled his fists up and glared down at them, already irritated that his magic still hadn’t shown itself. “I don’t know what happened.”

Taeyong had studied him for a long moment before shoving the book they had been studying closer to him and shaking his head.

Even when Jaehyun was sparring with Johnny, Yuta was nowhere to be seen. It was as if he was a ghost, only seen in the early mornings and the late hours of the night.

Finally, on the fourth day, the silence broke. Jaehyun was in the Leader’s Room with Junmyeon after the other had pulled him from his training. The other three leaders were joining them soon to talk with Jaehyun about something. No matter how many questions he asked, Junmyeon refused to tell him about the nature of the meeting until the others arrived.

They simply sat in silence, Jaehyun staring at the ring on his finger, desperately trying not to think about Yuta. Instead, his mother’s face came to his mind and he smiled. He still couldn’t believe that she had played a part in the Phoenix, had helped.

“We get a lot of those from the capital, anonymous allies that is.” Junmyeon said suddenly as if reading his thoughts.

Jaehyun looked up, eyes wide and curious. Junmyeon was staring at his ring, his eyebrows furrowed.

“Really?”

Junmyeon’s expression turned grim. “Jaehyun, your father’s rule is extremely unpopular throughout the kingdom.”

Jaehyun knew that. Logically, he knew that. But spending his life in the palace, only exposed to those who praised his father’s rulings, he was unused to seeing it. Now, looking around him, he took in all of the people who openly opposed the King. He now knew that there had to be those within the palace who shared that dislike toward his father, he had just never truly thought about it.

“Even those in the capital disagree with his stance on magic.”

Jaehyun tilted his head, thinking about Sehun’s flashy smiles and Kun’s zipped up lips. “But everyone always seemed so...”

“Uncaring?” He smiled, not unkindly. “Well, what do you expect, no one’s going to say anything against the royal family so openly, in fear of your father’s retaliation.”

Jaehyun looked down, remembering his mother’s hushed words that often had angered his father. Nobles never directly spoke their mind; not even Kun, who Sicheng was close with.

“How do you think we kept it hidden from the King that the Phoenix had come back?” Junmyeon smiled. “There are many people in the palace helping us.”

Jaehyun squinted his eyes. “Why are you telling me this?”

“I think you’ll be surprised at how many people in the capital will side with us. They may not all actively be a member of the Phoenix, but when the time comes, they’ll join us.”

Junmyeon’s words were so firm, so believable. Jaehyun felt a chill go down his back at the other’s tone, he sounded like a true leader.

“When the time comes?”

Junmyeon seemed to vibrate and he turned abruptly toward Jaehyun, expression excited. “The others should be here in a moment.”

As if listening in, the three other leaders burst into the room, all talking loudly at the same time.

“I’m telling you, this isn’t the time.”

“It’s been weeks Taeyong, get over it.”

Jaehyun stifled a giggle at Seulgi’s blunt words and the small blush that overtook Taeyong’s cheeks. At Junmyeon’s cough, the three shut their mouths, snapping to attention.

Jaehyun desperately tried to catch Yuta’s gaze; yet, the other seemed determined not to look at him.

“Finally,” Junmyeon sighed. “You took forever.”

Seulgi huffed. “Taeyong needed to make a pit stop at level five.”

Taeyong’s chest puffed out and he opened his mouth to respond, only to double over in pain when Yuta elbowed him in the stomach.

“Sit down, please.” Junmyeon gestured to the open chairs. “So we can get started.”

Grumbling like children, the other three leaders quickly took their seats. After a moment, Junmyeon turned back to Jaehyun, his eyes alight with excitement.

“You’ve met Taeil.” Jaehyun nodded at Junmyeon’s statement. “And you know that the Phoenix goes out and looks for people of magic blood who Taeil can sense.”

Again, Jaehyun nodded. His gaze flitted over to Yuta for a moment, taking in the other’s bored expression, before returning to Junmyeon.

“We send teams of people to go feel out a place where Taeil sense magic. They go to either transport the magic blooded person to the headquarters or another a safe place, or provide them with information on how to contact us.”

Jaehyun furrowed his nose. “But Reinea is so big, why travel to the other side of it only to tell someone how to get a hold of the Phoenix.”

Junmyeon chuckled lightly. “The Phoenix has those safe spots all over the kingdom, where different teams travel from. Here, we reach nearby villages and the capital.”

So it was like assigned areas. Taeil sensed magic in one part of the kingdom and alerted Junmyeon, who then sent a team out to scope it out. 

“Like you did with me?”

“Yes and no,” Yuta said, speaking for the first time in days in front of Jaehyun. “Johnny was sent a while ago, for several reasons, including the magic Taeil sensed. When that magic grew stronger, I was sent into the palace. We couldn’t send a whole team, or it would seem too suspicious.”

“Usually,” Seulgi interrupted. “There are four or five people to a team.”

Jaehyun nodded, wondering why they were telling him this.

“Jaehyun,” Junmyeon said to get his attention. “Taeil has alerted us of a magic presence in a village nearby. We were hoping to send you with a team.”

Surprise and happiness alike filled Jaehyun. “Why?”

Junmyeon smiled. “You’ve been here for a few weeks now, and it’s clear where your loyalties are at. We would like to start exposing you to more Phoenix related things, to properly introduce you to what it means to be a member.”

“Think of this as a test run,” Seulgi cut in. “To see what you're capable of.”

Jaehyun couldn’t help but smile at the words, his hand straying down to touch his ring. 

“Thank you,” He breathed. “Thank you.”

He saw Seulgi hide her smile at his eagerness and felt his ears color. Still, he couldn’t bring himself to calm down; they trusted him enough to let him be a part of a team.

“You’ll leave next week,” Junmyeon clapped him on the back. “Until then you’ll continue your training.”

Jaehyun smiled and glanced over at Yuta to see the other already looking at him. His expression was soft, unlike how it had been the last four days. As soon as he saw Jaehyun staring, he turned his head, letting his hair cover his face.

“This will benefit us all.” Junmyeon continued. “We’ve been waiting for this for a while.”

The comment seemed odd to Jaehyun, but he shrugged it off. Turning back to the other three leaders, he noticed matching scowls on Yuta and Taeyong’s faces. 

A pang of hurt went through him; they didn’t seem to be too excited about everything. Not as much as Seulgi and Junmyeon, who were both smiling widely.

Taeyong met his gaze and quickly looked away. Jaehyun furrowed his eyebrows as he noticed Yuta do the same. The idea that the two weren’t happy for Jaehyun made his smile dim. Maybe he had read too much into everything. Taeyong was, after all, just teaching him how to connect with his magical abilities. And Yuta, despite everything they had gone through together, obviously saw him as nothing more than an annoyance.

The fact that the two best friends could barely meet his gaze concerned him, but he turned back to Junmyeon and forced a smile onto his face, ready to learn more.

\---

Jaehyun got his chance to speak with Yuta only a day later when he passed him in the hallway that led to the rooms they shared. Desperate, Jaehyun grabbed the other’s arms, stopping him in his tracks.

“Yuta.”

He tensed but didn’t try to pull his arm free. 

Jaehyun looked up with pleading eyes. “Can we talk?” 

He was thankful the hallway was always so empty, the moment seemed too fragile for interruptions. Yuta sighed softly, but his face was turned away.

“What about?”

“Why are you avoiding me?” Jaehyun didn’t even try to beat around the bush. “What did I do?”

Yuta pulled his arm free and turned to look at him. He was wearing all black like he almost always did. The combination of his attire, long black hair, and piercing eyes was intimidating. 

“I’m not,” His voice was low. “I’ve been busy.”

Jaehyun snorted. “So busy that you can’t even look at me?”

Yuta took a small step back, reaching a hand up to tuck a stray piece of hair behind his ear. 

“Look, I don’t have time for this.”

Irritation flared up within Jaehyun. “You mean you don’t have time for me.”

Yuta’s expression twisted, yet he remained silent. The lack of response served as a confirmation to Jaehyun.

He closed his eyes, focusing on tampering down his growing frustration. After a few deep breaths, he reopened them and stared Yuta down.

“Can you just tell me what’s wrong?” His voice teetered on desperation.

For a long moment, Yuta seemed to study him. His eyes softened and he took a step forward, his arm rising up toward Jaehyun’s face. Just before his fingertips touched his cheek, Yuta froze. His softening expression hardened and he quickly dropped his hand.

“It’s nothing,” He said firmly, looking away. “I have to go.”

With that, he turned on his heel and stalked off, ignoring Jaehyun’s call after him. Jaehyun deflated as he watched the other walk away, before angrily blowing out a puff of air. If Yuta wanted to avoid him, then that was fine, he wouldn’t chase after him.

\---

When Jaehyun was a young boy, he had often watched the guards of the palace train. Not yet old enough to pick up a sword of his own, Jaehyun had sat in the grass by the outside training area and observed. He always felt at peace when he had watched the guards spar with each other. The flash of real swords swinging through the air had made him desperate to try it himself; yet, he knew he had to wait until his mother trusted him enough to respect the sword.

She had always said that anyone could pick up a sword, but only a person who honestly respected the sword was a true warrior. 

With those words now echoing through his mind, Jaehyun sat in the same position he had sat as a boy, watching people all around him spar. His back was against the wall, allowing him to look out at the people in the training room. Pairs were sparring in almost every arena; most of them teenagers with older members who were teaching them. 

The sight reminded Jaehyun of when Johnny had been teaching him how to spar. Being a prince, Jaehyun had known the basics already and had been fairly good at it. However, Johnny was the one who taught him how to use a sword as if it were an extension of his own body. Johnny was the one who helped him fall in love with sword-fighting. 

He flexed his right hand, looking down at it. He was an Elemental and a magic blood, but sword-fighting had always felt like it was his true ability.

Someone sat down next to him, their shoulder touching his own and he looked up, surprised he hadn’t heard their approach. 

For a moment, he didn’t recognize him. His hair was incredibly short, almost completely shaved off, and his face was much younger than the last time he had seen him.

“Jungwoo.” Jaehyun exclaimed, moving to fully look at the other.

Jungwoo raised his eyebrows, his lips quirked up slightly. “Jae, how are you?”

The simple question stunned him for a moment. He couldn’t remember the last time someone had just asked him how he was.

“I’m doing alright,” Jaehyun responded softly. “Just training.”

He raked his eyes over the other, his gaze landing on a bandage wrapped around his leg.

“What happened to you?”

Jungwoo looked down at his leg and waved his hand lazily. “Got into a little fight out there, I’ll be fine.”

Eyebrows still furrowed, Jaehyun tilted his head. “Out there?” He realized that probably meant outside of the headquarters. “You went back out with your shoulder still injured?”

Jungwoo shrugged with his unhurt shoulder. “It doesn’t really bother me now.” Jaehyun frowned at the careless way the other had put it, as if it didn’t matter at all. “Besides, I hate being cooped up in this place.”

Jaehyun found himself nodding. It wasn’t that he hated the headquarters, but he missed the outdoors. 

“How’s your training going?”

Jaehyun fiddled with his thumbs upon hearing Jungwoo’s question.

“They let me start sparring with Johnny again, so that’s nice.” He said, hoping Jungwoo wouldn’t ask about his other training.

Jungwoo raised an eyebrow. “And your magic training?” His eyes twinkled with a knowing glint. “I heard Taeyong’s teaching you.”

Jaehyun sighed; he should’ve known he wouldn’t be safe. Jungwoo was too perceptive for his own good.

“It’s been going,” He waved his hand. “Very little process.”

Jungwoo offered him a small smile, as if he had already known the answer. “Still don’t know your exact ability?”

“No,” He closed his eyes for a moment. “I’m an Elemental, yet the only thing I’ve down is blow up a lake and freeze some water on accident.”

Jungwoo leaned forward, eyes wide. “You froze water?”

At the other’s curious words, Jaehyun snorted. “Once. It was purely an emotional response, I didn’t even mean to.”

“You’ll get it,” Jungwoo looked confident in him. “Don’t worry.”

“Thanks,” Jaehyun frowned in thought. “It’s just frustrating. I feel like something’s blocking my abilities.”

At his words, Jungwoo grew silent. They watched the nearest pair of trainees fight, their swords clashing together. Jaehyun startled as he recognized Doyoung’s apprentice facing off against a teenage girl. Both of them were obviously very talented if their swift movements were anything to go by.

“I sometimes feel like that,” Jungwoo said suddenly, his eyes still fixed on the two teenagers. “Ever since the tower.”

Jaehyun shivered at the words. He tried not to think about when he had been in the west tower. The pressure that had filled his mind still haunted his nightmares, and he often found himself panicking randomly throughout the day whenever he was reminded of it.

“I was in there for days I think,” Jungwoo continued. “It robbed me of my magic while I was there. Sometimes, I’m reminded of those feelings and my magic goes away.”

Jaehyun gritted his teeth as he felt a phantom of the force that had pressed down on his mind so aggressively. 

“Don’t.” He bit out. “Please.”

Jungwoo looked at him for a long moment before sighing and turning away. “I'm just saying that it’s alright and that I feel that way too.”

With his fists clenched in his lap, Jaehyun forced the memories of the presence from the tower out of his mind. Instead, he focused on Johnny, who was making his way toward them. 

“Oh, hey Jungwoo,” Johnny waved once he reached them. “I didn’t know you were back already.”

Jungwoo pushed himself up and off the wall, standing to his feet. “I haven’t reported in yet,” He rolled his shoulder. “I’ll go do that.”

He turned back to Jaehyun and offered him a small smile. “I’ll see you later.”

Feeling suddenly exhausted, Jaehyun simply nodded as the other walked away. 

Johnny looked down at him with concerned eyes. Reaching out with one hand, he helped Jaehyun up.

“You good?”

Forcing a smile on his face, Jaehyun stretched out his arms. “Yeah, just tired.”

The echoes of what Jungwoo had said filled his mind still. He hadn’t thought that the possibility of his magic not showing itself had to do with his experience in the west tower. The thought that the tower could affect him so much frightened him.

“Good thing we’re done then.” Johnny said cheerfully, slapping him lightly on the back. 

Jaehyun nodded and found his gaze wandering back to where Doyoung’s apprentice was sparring. The boy’s eyebrows were furrowed in focus as he lunged toward the girl. The tip of his sword tapped her knee softly. The action was controlled, the boy seemed to know a great deal about sword-fighting. It made Jaehyun wonder how good Doyoung was.

Johnny placed a hand on his shoulder. “Here, let me walk you back to your rooms.”

“You mean Yuta’s rooms,” Jaehyun huffed out. “Fine.”

Johnny threw him a concerned glance as they left level five. The worry radiating from the other oddly comforted him; it was nice to know someone cared.

“I’m alright, Johnny,” Jaehyun said softly. “Promise.”

Johnny looked at him doubtfully for a moment, eyes searching for something on his face. Despite his urge to tell Johnny all of his worries, Jaehyun held it in. He didn’t know how to explain the force that had been in the west tower and why he thought it may be holding him back. He also had no idea how to tell Johnny that he thought Taeyong and Yuta may not want him to be a member of the Phoenix.

The staircase took them up to the level eleven where Yuta’s rooms were. Jaehyun tilted his head back so that he could look up at the colorful ceiling.

“Whatever you say.” Johnny looked at him with a soft gaze. “But if you’re having nightmares, you can come to find me in Taeyong’s rooms.”

Together, they stepped off the spiral staircase.

Jaehyun raised an eyebrow. “Taeyong rooms?”

A soft blush took over Johnny’s face. “Shut up.”

Laughter bubbled out of Jaehyun and he reached forward to touch the other’s shoulder. Johnny looked sheepish; yet, he still had a sincere look on his face.

“Thank you,” Jaehyun’s smile was real. “Truly.”

He didn’t know what he had done to deserve Johnny in his life. Countless times, the other had comforted him after his nightmares and turned the other way when he had snuck out into the capital. Even now, he worried for Jaehyun. 

“You’re a good friend.”

Johnny grinned and flicked him gently on the nose. “I know.”

They stopped in front of Yuta’s door. With an exasperated laugh, Jaehyun turned toward the door and pressed his hand to it.

“See you at training tomorrow?” Jaehyun wasn’t even embarrassed about how hopeful his voice sounded.

He could hear Johnny’s smile in his voice. “Of course, Jae.”

 

\---

 

Later that night, Yuta entered the room quietly, startling Jaehyun from where he had been standing in front of the fireplace. At the other’s entrance, the fire promptly blew out.

Jaehyun sighed, the coolness of the room already seeping into his bones. He waited silently as Yuta puttered around. Obviously, he wanted to talk. 

After a few minutes, Jaehyun lost patience and turned around, only to see Yuta already looking at him. His chest panged as he took in the other’s cold stare, the hard lines of his face.

“What is it?”

Jaehyun’s question hung in the air around them, unanswered. 

The irritation that he had been harboring toward the other for days began to swallow him up and he hurriedly pushed his hair out of his eyes. “Yuta?”

Finally, Yuta seemed to snap out of it and he lowered his gaze. Jaehyun felt a spark of panic in his gut; something was deeply wrong.

He moved forward, closer to Yuta, only to pause when the other stepped back. Hurt, Jaehyun lowered his arm from where he had raised it.

“What’s wrong?”

Yuta’s cool eyes regarded him emotionlessly for a moment. “There’s been an incident.”

Jaehyun furrowed his brows. “What kind of incident?”

“What did you do today?” 

The question was abrupt and firm. 

“I trained, like always.” Jaehyun shook his head. “What is it Yuta?”

He stepped forward again, and Yuta hurriedly held his hands out in front of his body. The abrupt action was frantic, as if he had expected Jaehyun to attack him.

“You,” Yuta’s voice sounded choked. “Have you been in contact with anyone in the palace?”

Jaehyun’s chest felt empty. “No,” He thought of Sicheng and how much it had pained him to not reach out to his friend. “You know I haven’t.”

“Do I?” 

Jaehyun blinked at the sharpness of the other’s tone. “Of course you do,” He frowned. “Yuta, what’s this about?”

Yuta’s face fell slightly and he quickly looked down. For a moment, he didn’t respond, before he raised his head again.

“A group of Phoenix members were on a standard trip to find the source of magic in a village nearby.” Jaehyun nodded slowly, remember their conversation with the other leaders from earlier. “They were ambushed by a group of guards, who had clearly been waiting for them.”

Jaehyun felt his heart drop. “Are they alright? What happened to them?”

Yuta jerked his head to the side. “I would be more concerned about how the guards knew the group would be passing through the village at the time they were.”

Jaehyun shook his head slightly, realization dawned on him. “You think someone told them?” His thoughts went to Yuta’s questions. “You think I told them?”

Yuta remained silent, simply staring at him. Irritation flared up within Jaehyun once again.

“Why would I do that? How could I do that? I’ve been in the headquarters since we first arrived.”

He thought of Yuta’s unwillingness to speak with him for the past few days. 

“You don’t trust me?” Jaehyun hated how small his voice sounded, especially when all he wanted to do was yell. “You think I would betray everyone like this, betray you like this?”

Slowly, tears began to fall down Yuta’s face, glistening on his cheeks. “I don’t know what to think. We haven’t had this happen in years, and suddenly you show up and it happens.”

Jaehyun shook his head rapidly. “No, it wasn’t me Yuta,” He stepped closer. “You have to believe me, please.”

Yuta stared at the ground firmly, his shoulders shaking. 

Desperation and hurt alike filled Jaehyun. If Yuta wouldn’t believe him, who would? Quickly, he pushed down all of his emotions and breathed deeply. 

“I get that you can’t fully trust me. I get that I’m probably always going to be suspicious to you. It may pain me, but I do get it.” Jaehyun’s voice cracked. “But I just stood up to my father, the King of Reinea. I contradicted everything that he stands for to his face.”

Yuta shook his head repeatedly, tears flowing faster. “It could be a trap, you could be a spy.” His voice turned desperate, eyes widely darting around the room.

“Look at me, no look at me,” When Yuta continued to look around, Jaehyun grabbed him firmly by the chin. “Do I look like I’m lying to you? Do I look like a spy?”

Yuta’s eyes finally landed on his face. He could feel the sting of the other’s gaze, but he didn’t break eye contact.

“No,” Yuta finally breathed out. “You don’t.”

He relaxed into Jaehyun touch, his eyes flitting to the floor. “I’m sorry, I don’t know why I did that. It’s just that I’m so scared. I trust you, and that’s what scares me. I trust you with my life.” 

Jaehyun exhaled shakily, the breath leaving him at Yuta’s words. He stared wide-eyed as the other slowly wrapped his arms around him. 

His hair hung down over his face. “I’m terrified Jaehyun.” He scooted even closer. “I don’t know what it is about you, but you make me feel whole. You make me feel safe, despite your identity. You make me not care, and you make me soft.”

Yuta let out a watery laugh; Jaehyun’s eyes burned.

“You have no idea how much power you have over me.”

His gaze pierced through Jaehyun, and something burst within him. Tingly butterflies filled his stomach. 

“I won’t break that trust,” He whispered, his voice low. “I won’t hurt you, Yuta.”

Yuta closed his eyes and leaned forward so that their foreheads pressed together. Their breath intermingled as they simply sat there, clutching each other. 

“Is this real, or just a dream?”

Yuta’s voice shook, the words came out only a little louder than a whisper. Jaehyun didn’t respond; instead, he grasped onto the small amount of bravery he had left and opened his eyes. With careful hands, he tilted Yuta’s face up and connected their lips.

Immediately, Yuta reacted, pressing back on Jaehyun’s lips. The kiss was soft and hesitant, as if they were carefully handing over their hearts to each other. Blindly, Jaehyun reached out for Yuta’s hand, finding comfort in the interlocking of their fingers.

“Definitely a dream.”

Yuta giggled at Jaehyun’s whispered words, at the awe that filled them. The air around them had warmed considerably, and Jaehyun found himself unconsciously squeezing Yuta’s hand. 

Slowly, he reconnected their lips, taking comfort in the action that seemed so familiar already. As Yuta pulled him even closer, he thought that maybe he could stay like this forever. 

Suddenly, Yuta broke the kiss, pulling away from Jaehyun. “I’m sorry about earlier, I really am,” He whispered. “I just got so overwhelmed and so much was happening and I just snapped I guess.”

Jaehyun shushed him softly, bringing a hand up to twirl a piece of Yuta’s hair. “It’s alright.”

“No, it’s not,” Yuta’s voice was firm. “I know it wasn’t you; I just got so scared about everything, and I know that’s no excuse. I just didn’t know how to deal with it, with any of it. It suddenly became so real.”

“What did?”

“Well, my feelings for you, for starters.”

Jaehyun jumped slightly in surprise.

“I’ve never, I don’t feel this deeply for people often,” Yuta seemed to be struggling to articulate his thoughts. “But with you, it’s so easy. It’s so easy that it terrifies me.”

Jaehyun hummed softly, letting go of Yuta’s hair. “It scares me too, how enamored I am with you. We’re in this together, alright darling?”

Yuta blushed, the pink spreading over his cheeks, and scrunched up his nose. Jaehyun flashed him a small smile and leaned in to kiss his cheek. When he pulled back, Yuta was looking at him with such fondness that Jaehyun thought his heart would explode. 

Carefully, he lowered himself to rest his head on Yuta’s shoulder, closing his eyes as the other began to card his free hand through his hair. The glow of the fire in the fireplace made Jaehyun smile and he snuggled closer to Yuta.

The fragile moment was abruptly shattered as Yuta’s door swung open. The pair immediately jumped up, Yuta pulling Jaehyun closer into his side.

Taeyong stood in the doorway, expression unreadable as he took in the scene before him. They both were still on the floor, hands interlocked and lips slightly swollen. Jaehyun knew that his hair was messy from Yuta’s hands running through it.

Taeyong’s mouth was set in a hard line, but his eyes looked almost apologetic. 

“Jaehyun,” Yuta tensed up beside him. “Junmyeon wants to speak with you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 79,268 words and yujae finally kissed,, I wasn't lying when I said this was hella slow burn!!  
> but yeah woo yuta finally discussing his feelings a little. i hope yall enjoyed this chapter, i know its a little shorter


	16. Chapter 16

Yuta held his hand the entire way to the Leader’s Room. 

It was subtle movement, their cloaks both hiding where their hands clasped together, but it mattered. Despite the growing sense of dread Jaehyun felt raging in his chest, he couldn’t help but smile. His lips still tingled from Yuta’s kiss, his hand was warm from the other’s grasp.

Taeyong strode a few steps ahead of them, leading them as if they didn’t know where the Leader’s Room was. As soon as the familiar three black doors came into sight, Jaehyun felt his throat dry. 

Yuta squeezed his hand and gave him a soothing look. At the action, Jaehyun almost laughed; how was he supposed to be calm?

Taeyong knocked on the door softly before entering and stepping aside to let the other two through. With a small pull, Jaehyun tugged his hand from Yuta’s and entered into the Leader’s Room. 

For a moment, he got deja vu. It was a similar situation from when he had first-ever entered the room the day he had arrived at the Phoenix. His hands trembled just the same.

Junmyeon sat at the head of the table, his head bowed. To his left, was Seulgi who simply narrowed her eyes. To his right, sat Doyoung. The man’s eyes burned with hatred as he looked at Jaehyun.

Forcing himself to tear his gaze from Doyoung, Jaehyun watched Taeyong take a seat. He expected Yuta to follow; however, the other stood beside him. At the sign of support that Yuta was so clearly showing for Jaehyun, Junmyeon raised an eyebrow but said nothing. 

“Doyoung.” Seulgi said suddenly, the other man sitting up straighter in response. 

Doyoung stood from his chair, his eyes glaring one last time at Jaehyun before setting a silver cup in the center of the table. He hesitated for a moment before leaving, the door shutting softly behind him.

Jaehyun’s gaze was locked on the cup, he knew what was in it. 

“Jaehyun,” Junmyeon’s voice betrayed nothing as he spoke plainly. “Sit please.”

Obediently, Jaehyun sat in the nearest chair, Yuta taking the spot beside him. The room was still as the eldest leader seemed to contemplate something.

Jaehyun intertwined his own hands as Junmyeon’s gaze finally settled on his face.

“I’m sure you know why you’re here.”

Jaehyun nodded, deliberately not looking at Yuta. Seulgi’s eyes watched his every movement.

“Letting you be at the headquarters was a big risk,” Junmyeon started softly. “A risk that many disagreed with.”

Beside him, Yuta shifted in his chair.

Junmyeon’s eyes flickered to the other leader. “Others very much supported it.”

“Junmyeon.” Yuta’s voice cut throughout the room, strong and clear, with a hint of desperation.

Jaehyun felt as if he couldn’t move. The leaders simply stared at each other as the temperature in the room began to rise. 

“You won’t take the potion,” Junmyeon’s gaze slid back to Jaehyun. “I trust you enough.”

Jaehyun jerked forward. “Sorry?”

A hint of amusement flickered in the other’s eyes. “I’ll just ask you,” He leaned forward. “Did you exchange information about the Phoenix with anyone?”

Jaehyun shook his head. “No, I didn’t.”

Looking pleased, Junmyeon sat back in his chair. “That’s what I thought.” 

Confused, Jaehyun glanced at Yuta who seemed just has taken aback. Junmyeon had believed him just like that.

An unreadable expression passed over Seulgi’s face, but she said nothing.

“You’ve done nothing to break my trust in you,” Junmyeon tapped his fingers on the table. “So I see no reason in not believing you.”

Jaehyun opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He simply sat there, his mouth moving to form words that couldn’t escape his throat.

Seulgi leaned forward, her gaze cutting to Junmyeon. “Don’t be naive.”

The air suddenly chilled around them; goosebumps erupted on Jaehyun’s skin. Beside him, Yuta had stiffened. 

Junmyeon sat perfectly still, his expression not changing in the slightest as Seulgi continued. 

“How convenient is it that we suddenly have a traitor when the prince shows up?” Her gaze turned to Jaehyun, cold and hard. “Don’t you find that concerning?”

Jaehyun resisted the urge to break eye contact. Unlike Doyoung’s glare, Seulgi's was calm, as if she already knew everything she could ever need to know. Instead of anger, there was a firm resolution. Her mind had been made up.

“Seulgi,” Junmyeon’s voice was lower, more dangerous. “You doubt me?”

“I don’t,” She narrowed her eyes at Jaehyun. “I doubt him.”

Jaehyun felt a hand slip into his, and he glanced over at Yuta. The other’s face remained impassive, but his hand was warm and reassuring. 

“And yet you still challenge my judgment.” 

“I just don’t want you to be blind to what’s right in front of you.” Her voice turned pleading as she looked at Junmyeon. “Don’t let your own plans obscure the truth.”

Jaehyun found her wording confusing, and he felt as if he were missing something important.

“Seulgi,” Junmyeon started to sound frustrated. “We’ve been over this. His ring confirms that he’s no threat to us.”

“The ring,” Seulgi scoffed. “It could’ve belonged to anyone, it doesn’t prove shit.”

Jaehyun shifted forward suddenly, placing his hand on the table as desperation flooded through him. “This ring was my mother's.” He pushed down his irritation and let honestly seep into his voice. “I didn’t betray the Phoenix, I promise you.”

Seulgi gave a short, bitter laugh. “Promises mean nothing to me.”

“Why would I betray you to my father? He despises me, and I despise all that he stands for.”

She raised an eyebrow mockingly and looked at him as if he were a child. “But you don’t despise him?”

Jaehyun went quiet. His heart pounded in his ears loudly, automatically consuming his thoughts. 

“Where is this coming from?” Taeyong asked calmly, his voice low. “You’ve never opposed to Jaehyun being here until now.”

The voices of the others muted in Jaehyun’s head so that only the loud thumping of his heart echoed in his ears. He lowered his gaze to stare down at a thread that hung loosely from his shirt. It curled easily around his finger as he pulled, just a little, so that it grew longer. The edge of the shirt began to fray, unraveling from the simple act of him pulling on one small, seemingly insignificant thread. He thought it resembled his life; once put so carefully together and now taken apart, rapidly changed. Everything he had thought he had known was being undone, proven wrong by what he had discovered about the world, his kingdom, and himself in the past few months.

“Think about it,” Taeyong’s voice cut back in through Jaehyun’s mind. “He’s rarely left alone. When would he even have had the chance to betray us?”

Jaehyun glanced up; Taeyong looked calm but his fist sat clenched on the table. His gaze cut to the cup that still sat perfectly in the center of the table. Would Seulgi believe him even if he took the potion?

“I don’t know,” Seulgi seemed exasperated. “But isn’t it obvious that it’s him?”

Yuta let out a frustrated breath. “If you continue to distrust Jaehyun on this, you’re displaying distrust in myself, Taeyong, and Johnny as well. We’ve trained Jaehyun every day, been with him every hour.”

Seulgi opened her mouth to argue but Yuta continued. “If you accuse Jaehyun of betraying the Phoenix, then you’re also accusing me.”

Silence followed Yuta’s words. The stiffness in the room seemed to grow. An array of emotions passed over Seulgi’s face before, finally, she relaxed in her chair.

“I’m not,” She gritted her teeth, and let her hair fall over her face. “I’m not accusing you.”

Yuta nodded, his eyes cutting over to Jaehyun. “Then you aren’t accusing him either.”

Seulgi sighed, silent for another moment, before nodding. 

At the action, Yuta squeezed Jaehyun’s hand under the table in excitement. Jaehyun resisted the urge to smile at the other; instead, he kept his eyes trained on Junmyeon.

The eldest leader seemed to be deep in thought, his eyebrows knitted together. The discussion had obviously frustrated him, and he was refusing to look directly at Seulgi. The gap between the two leaders made the tension in the room remain, despite the matter appearing to be solved. 

Finally, Junmyeon looked up. “Jaehyun will still leave for the village in a few days, we don’t need this to setback our plans.”

Again, Jaehyun felt as if he had missed something, but he quickly forgot about it as Junmyeon continued. 

“Yuta will go with you.” Junmyeon’s expression turned grave. “Continue to prepare, this will determine a lot for your future.”

The words twisted something in Jaehyun’s gut. He felt as if Junmeon had just warned him that he shouldn’t fail or mess up on this journey. 

He glanced back down at the thread still wrapped around his index finger. With a sharp tug, he ripped the thread from the shirt and nodded. The movement was small and jerky, as his thoughts dwelled on Junmyeon’s words. If he wasn’t good enough, would the Phoenix discard him? 

 

\---

 

Jaehyun was surrounded by fire.

The room he stood in looked suspiciously like the palace ballroom during the Crown Prince’s wedding, with a high ceiling and lavish decorations. The room was empty of all people; as if the guests from the wedding had completely disappeared. A fire raged around him, so close that he could feel the heat. 

Jaehyun opened his mouth to scream, yet nothing came out. Slowly, panic began to fill his chest as he frantically looked around for an escape

Suddenly, a face emerged from the flames. His father.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

The words were cold and demanding. His father’s face held vague amusement as if Jaehyun being trapped in a fire was something that entertained him.

Another scowling face appeared next to the King. His brother.

“You truly believe that they’ll ever trust you?”

Jun’s words were biting and venom-filled, mocking him. 

Jaehyun wanted to close his eyes but found that he couldn’t. He was forced to stare at the faces of his remaining family.

Around him, words echoed in the air. They slammed into him like punches to the gut.

“There’s nothing I can do to stop the blame that will fall on you if he messes up.”

Fire licked at his wrist at the memory of Taeyong’s words from so many weeks ago.

“He’s nosey and annoying and kind of a pushover.”

His brother laughed cruelly as Yuta’s description of him rang out.

“Forgive your father.”

The last one knocked Jaehyun to his knees. The sound of his mother’s voice ringing in his head. 

The flames grew closer and his family’s faces vanished into the air. Pain crept up Jaehyun’s arm; the fire was consuming him.

Suddenly, an overwhelming pressure fell onto his mind. He felt trapped, completely and utterly trapped. Nothing but blinding agony flashed through him. The pressure increased, the dark tendrils creeping through his mind, weaving into his memories and thoughts.

A silent scream threatened to break from his mouth; the pressure from the tower had returned. 

“Jaehyun?”

At the sound of Yuta’s voice, Jaehyun quickly opened his eyes and the pressure left him. He felt unbelievably tired, exhaustion rushing through him as he brought his legs up to his chest. 

A hand landed on his shoulder and Jaehyun flinched away.

“Jae?”

Slowly, he raised his eyes to meet Yuta’s warm ones. 

Jaehyun blinked rapidly up at Yuta, who was hovering over him, his eyebrows knitted in concern. Slowly, he realized that his nightmare had ended, that he was awake. Still, the feeling of the pressure in his mind had been too real. At the thought, Jaehyun’s breath quickly sped up, his vision becoming blurry.

Yuta’s face twisted before he climbed quickly onto the bed and sat beside Jaehyun’s shaking form. A hand rubbed his back soothingly, and Jaehyun was glad the other hadn’t tried to hug him. He didn’t want to feel trapped.

After what seemed like hours, Jaehyun’s shaking became tamer and he slowly raised his head from where it had been resting between his knees.

“Sorry,” His voice was raspy and broken. “Just a nightmare.”

Yuta shifted closer to him, moving so that he could look him in the eye. “Don’t apologize.”

His eyes were full of concern, and they moved around Jaehyun’s face as if searching for something.

“Do you want to talk about it?” 

Jaehyun quickly shook his head, his body spasming as another phantom wave of pain swept through him. Yuta’s hands were warm on his back, and he focused intently on the other’s body next to him.

Sweat beaded at his hairline, threatening to spill down his temple. He let out a shaky breath as if doing so would release the demons within him. 

His mind wandered to Jungwoo, and he regretted pushing the other away when he had approached him. It would’ve been good to talk about what had happened in the tower. With that thought, Jaehyun turned fully toward Yuta.

“When I got Jungwoo out of the palace, it wasn’t easy.” Yuta looked at him with such incredibly kind eyes that Jaehyun was forced to look away. “He was in the west tower.”

A glance back up confirmed that Yuta was unsure of what exactly that meant. 

“I don’t know what’s in there, a magical force of some kind,” Jaehyun closed his eyes. “Prisoners are brought there rarely, and the west wing is entirely abandoned. Now, I know the west tower is probably reserved for magic blooded people.”

The room was chilled and Jaehyun shivered again. At the movement, Yuta scooted closer, his hands moving more firmly on Jaehyun’s back.

“When you enter the tower it’s like this enormous pressure has overtaken you. You can barely think through the pain, through the powerlessness that you feel.”

His hair hung over his face and his voice wobbled. “I think it drains you of any magic you have.”

He thought of the empty feeling that had filled him in the tower; now he knew what it had been. While at the time he hadn’t known of his magic blood, it still had been a part of him. To have it suddenly taken from him had traumatized his mind in ways he still hadn’t recovered from. 

Yuta exhaled slowly and rested his forehead on Jaehyun’s shoulder. He didn’t say anything, and Jaehyun was thankful. He didn’t want to talk about it, just explaining it had been enough. 

“I think,” Jaehyun closed his eyes as he remembered how the pressure had pulled on his mind. “That the pressure from the tower is why my magic suddenly showed up.”

Yuta didn’t move from his spot. “What do you mean?”

In the tower, Jaehyun had felt like the pressure had demanded something from him. It had tugged and tugged until something shifted within him. He remembered the feeling of it too vividly, it visited him in his nightmares, and in the moments he found himself alone for too long.

“I remember whatever was in the tower was in my mind,” Jaehyun shivered, a tear escaped his eye. “It seemed to want something from me, and when it got it, it let me go. I think it wanted for my magic to be exposed.”

Finally, Yuta lifted his head, worry shining in his gaze as he looked up at Jaehyun. “Why would it want that?”

An empty feeling had snuck its way into Jaehyun’s chest; his eyes went out of focus. “I don’t know.” His voice was soft, an almost whisper.

Yuta was silent for a moment, his hands rested firmly on Jaehyun’s shoulders. The action gave Jaehyun a little comfort; it reminded him that he wasn’t alone. 

“Come on,” Yuta said encouragingly, standing up and pulling Jaehyun up with him. “You should go back to sleep, get some rest.”

Hastily, Jaehyun wiped the tear from his face. “Only me?”

Yuta gave him a toothy smile, small but genuine. “Sleep is for the weak.”

With an exasperated sigh, Jaehyun pulled his hand from Yuta’s gasp and turned toward the bed. He closed his eyes for a moment, forcing the empty feeling from his chest and evening out his breathing.

“You know, we could share the bed, it’s not like we haven’t done it before.”

Silence met his statement, and he turned questioningly around to face Yuta. The other’s mouth was slightly open in surprise, pink softly dusted his cheeks.

Amused, Jaehyun let out a small cough, effectively breaking Yuta from whatever trance he had been under.

“Ah, yes,” Yuta seemed flustered. “Yes, I guess we can.”

With a giggle, Jaehyun fell back on the bed, shifting over to make room for Yuta. After a moment, the other joined him, the bed dipping under the additional weight. The fire in the fireplace dimmed, even more, and made the room almost completely dark.

“Goodnight Jae.” Yuta whispered from beside him, voice rough.

Next to Yuta, the memory of the pressure from the tower seemed faint and unable to harm him. Jaehyun wrapped the blanket tighter around himself and focused on the warmth that rolled off of Yuta’s body. 

“Goodnight.”

 

\---

Dark circles seemed to be permanently under Jaehyun’s eyes. Even though he had fallen back to sleep after his nightmare, it had been a restless night. He felt bad for Yuta, he knew he must’ve woken the other up frequently.

The bright lights of the training room hurt his head. In his sleep-deprived mind, the light was brighter than the sun. No matter how hard he tried to ignore the pounding in his head, he still felt off.

He and Johnny stood at the edge of one of the arenas, taking a break from their sparring. Sweat soaked Jaehyun’s hair and the collar of his plain white shirt. He had rolled his trousers up to his knees, and his shoes sat on the floor next to him. He knew he looked ridiculous, but the pounding in his head made him not care. 

Yuta was training with Doyoung just a few arena’s away. Jaehyun found himself entranced by the sharp movements Yuta made as he sparred. The other’s hair was down today, the long black strands flowing out around him as he spun and turned. He wore a black blouse and a long, dark grey skirt that was cut just above his ankles.

Across from Yuta, Doyoung was smiling. The sight confused Jaehyun; he hadn’t seen any other expression on the other’s face but annoyance and hatred since he had arrived. Seeing Yuta and Doyoung laughing together made something twist in his chest. 

With great difficulty, Jaehyun tore his eyes from Yuta and moved them to the pair sparring in the arena in front of them. He startled when he recognized the boy with orange hair. He was the same boy who Jaehyun had seen the day he had arrived at the Phoenix. 

“Who’s that?” Jaehyun asked, referring to the orange-haired boy.

Johnny laughed, seeming to be startled at Jaehyun’s question. “You met Hyuck?” He shook his head in mock fondness as the pair ended their sparring. “I should've known the little rascal would try to see you.”

Confused, Jaehyun watched as the boy made his way over to them, a wide smile on his face.

“Johnny,” He cried out, jumping over the thin rope that separated the training arena from the rest of the room. “You came.”

Johnny simply smiled in response and held his arms out, not seeming surprised when the boy jumped on him. Jaehyun stepped back, startled at the sudden closeness. After a moment, Johnny straightened up and turned to Jaehyun, a wide smile on his face.

“Jae,” He started, squeezing the shoulder of the boy. “This is Donghyuck, my little brother.”

Surprised, Jaehyun let his mouth drop open as the boy, Donghyuck, giggled at him.

“Hello, Jae,” Donghyuck’s voice was high pitched and full of youth. “Johnny talks about you all the time.”

Johnny’s ears went red as he shoved the younger away from him.

At the action, Jaehyun laughed. “Nice to meet you Donghyuck,” The boy beamed up at him. “I didn’t know you had a brother, Johnny.”

Johnny looked sheepish. “I couldn’t really risk telling you.”

Jaehyun nodded in understanding, his eyes darting between the two brothers. It was obvious that they had been separated for a long time; if the way Johnny held onto Donghyuck’s shoulder was anything to go by. Donghyuck was looking up at Johnny like he ruled the world. A pang of affection went through Jaehyun as he studied the two of them. Had Johnny been able to see Donghyuck at all while he had worked at the palace?

As if reading his thoughts, Johnny spoke up. “I didn’t get to see Hyuck much,” He ruffled the boy’s hair. “Sometimes he would go to Yuta’s shop and we could see each other on my days off, but still.”

Jaehyun looked sideways at Yuta who had finished sparring with Doyoung and was wiping off his sweat with a towel.

“Anyways,” Johnny slowly detached Donghyuck from his side. “You up for some sparring?”

Donghyuck looked up at him, eyes sparkling in excitement. “Johnny told me he taught you everything you know.”

Jaehyun scoffed, shooting Johnny a look. “Not everything.”

Johnny laughed at him and shrugged before holding out a wooden sword. With a small sigh, Jaehyun too the sword and followed Johnny out onto the training pad. 

Slowly, they began to go through their normal exercises. On the side, Donghyuck took to cheering Jaehyun on.

“Betrayed by my own brother.” Johnny said, a pout overtaking his face.

Donghyuck laughed loudly, the sound echoing throughout the floor. Jaehyun found himself smiling at the younger boy as he stretched out his right arm.

“Johnny,” A loud voice suddenly called out. “Let me have a go.”

Jaehyun dropped his stance, turning to face whoever had interrupted their warm-up. Doyoung stood at the edge of the arena, his eyes trained on Jaehyun and his hands clutching a sword. The other had a challenging look in his eyes as if he were daring Jaehyun to refuse even though the question had been aimed at Johnny.

“Um,” Johnny sounded confused. “I’m not sure about that.”

The look Doyoung was giving Jaehyun bothered him. It was challenging, yet doubtful. As if he were sure Jaehyun would refuse.

“Come on, then.” Jaehyun widened his stance and raised his eyebrows. 

Johnny glanced sideways at him, lowering his voice. “Jae, I don’t think this is a good idea.”

Letting out a huff, Jaehyun titled his face toward his friend, but never let his gaze leave Doyoung. He wasn’t going to let the other win.

“I’ll be fine.” Jaehyun said back before gesturing for Doyoung to come forward.

Doyoung took Johnny’s place in front of him, nodding politely at the other as he left.

He smirked and held out a real sword, the blade dull but still dangerous looking. “It’s not smart to only practice with wooden swords.” 

Jaehyun’s face heated up as he took the sword from the other and threw his wooden one off to the side. 

Slowly, the pair raised their swords, tapping them softly together to signal the beginning of their match. Jaehyun could hear his heart beating loudly in his chest, as his eyes followed Doyoung’s every movement. For a moment, they remained motionless, and then suddenly, Doyoung swung.

It was a test swing, to see how Jaehyun would react. The sword didn’t come anywhere close to him, but still, Jaehyun danced back, bringing his own sword closer to himself.

Something sparked in Doyoung’s eyes, and his gaze turned almost predatory. Still, Jaehyun refused to back down. 

“I taught myself how to fight,” Doyoung said, swinging his sword again. “Didn’t have the luxury of private tutors.”

Jaehyun gritted his teeth as the other swiped at his shoulder, only narrowly missing. In retaliation, he swung his sword, feeling annoyed when Doyoung dodged easily.

“Johnny taught me.” 

They circled each other slowly, each looking for the other’s weakness.

“You’re close with him.”

It wasn’t a question. Doyoung looked annoyed as he said it, his face twisting and eyebrows furrowing. 

“Yes,” Jaehyun blocked another one of Doyoung’s attacks. “I am.”

Their swords hit each other, the sound ringing throughout the room.   
From the corner of his eye, he could see the people in the training room beginning to gather to watch his match with Doyoung. They moved as if hypnotized by the clashing of the swords and the sudden harshness the fight was turning to.

“And Yuta.”

Jaehyun didn’t respond, getting distracted by the small crowd. The watchers made him uncomfortable; someone could recognize him. He danced away from Doyoung’s blade and risked another glance toward the group. Almost everyone in the room had gathered by now all staring eyes wide and bodies tensed in anticipation. 

Doyoung moved back, giving Jaehyun space. The small crowd relaxed by a small fraction. Their bodies swayed in unison, like a body of water. Doyoung took a step back into the range of Jaehyun’s blade. Then, each person leaned forward, a ripple effect, as if a breeze had swept over the surface of the water.

“Hey.”

Jaehyun’s attention snapped back to Doyoung. The other looked annoyed at the lack of focus, a heavy scowl on his face.

Once again, Jaehyun became distracted; yet, this time it was by how rapidly Doyoung’s expression was souring. In the distraction, Doyoung quickly lunged for him, attacking with a series of swings, and landing a hit with the hilt of his sword on Jaehyun’s shoulder. 

Unlike most practice matches, the hit was hard and knocked the breath out of Jaehyun. He stumbled back, almost losing his footing as he did so. Vaguely, he thought he heard a gasp come from the group of people on the side.

Quickly, Jaehyun regained his footing and pushed his hair out of his face with one hand. 

Doyoung looked angry as he glared back at him, his sword still raised. Slowly, Jaehyun held his sword up.

“Leave this place.”

Jaehyun felt anger and confusion alike fill him at Doyoung’s words, spat at him like an order. 

Panting, he swung at Doyoung, coming close to his bicep. “No.”

Doyoung lunged at him, his blade stabbing the air by his side as Jaehyun moved quickly to the right.

“I’m staying,” Jaehyun said firmly. “And there’s really nothing you can do about it.”

Even his own words sounded cocky in his ears, yet he didn’t care. The anger that twisted onto Doyoung’s face was satisfying to watch. 

“It’s unfortunate that they trust you so much.”

Doyoung’s words were spoken lowly so that only Jaehyun could hear them. As he spoke, he moved his sword. Jaehyun managed to block every swing, yet he felt overwhelmed suddenly.

“I don’t know how you somehow convinced everyone that you’re harmless, but I won’t fall for your tricks.” His sword came uncomfortably close to Jaehyun’s neck.

He was like a snake, spitting venom in Jaehyun’s face, and blinding him as he attacked. Jaehyun was usually extremely focused when he sparred, yet now he felt unusually powerless and untrained.

Doyoung swung again, and Jaehyun barely managed to raise his sword in time to block the blade. 

“You may have Johnny and Taeil fooled. Yuta, one of the most on edge people I know, trusts you.” Doyoung’s eyes never left Jaehyun’s face as he spoke.

“God, even Taeyong stood up for you,” He swung lowly at Jaehyun’s legs. “Of course that’s because he trusts Yuta’s judgment, but still.”

Jaehyun stumbled back from Doyoung’s sword. He felt like he never got off of defense, always too focused on blocking Doyoung’s attacks.

“One day your true colors will be exposed, and everyone will see what you really are.” Something flashed in Doyoung’s eyes and then he swung, quick and precise. “A traitor and a liar.”

Jaehyun was too slow at blocking it. A stinging pain engulfed his thigh, and warmth erupted down his leg. Shocked, he stumbled away from Doyoung who was glaring at him smugly, and dropped to his knees. A shout rang out from the onlookers as he put his hand over the tear in his trousers. When he pulled it away, his palm was stained with blood.

Someone knelt beside Jaehyun, softly putting their hands on his wound. Despite the pain, Jaehyun almost smiled when he saw the hands were gloved. 

“Doyoung,” Yuta sounded unbelievably angry. “What the hell are you doing?”

“It was an accident.”

Doyoung’s voice didn’t sound convincing at all, and Yuta seemed to agree as he scowled harder.

“Bullshit.”

Carefully, he helped Jaehyun up. The movement caused another stinging pain in his thigh. He leaned into Yuta’s side as he stood, keeping his weight off of his injured leg.

Doyoung raised an eyebrow at him, mockingly. At the action, Jaehyun felt a wave of annoyance flow through him and he pulled away from Yuta.

“Let’s go again.” He said firmly, ignoring the pain in his leg as he firmly stood on two feet.

“Hey, stop that,” Yuta growled, yanking Jaehyun back into his side. “We have to go get a look at your wound.”

Jaehyun opened his mouth to protest; he wanted to prove to Doyoung that he knew how to fight and that he could win. One look at Yuta’s stern expression though, and he stayed silent. Obediently, Jaehyun let Yuta lead him toward the spiral staircase.

He ignored the worried look Johnny sent him, only turning to send one last glare to Doyoung before they left.

Yuta took him one level below the one they had been on. It looked to be a level dedicated to treating wounds, if the injured man in the back was anything to go by. A few people were moving quickly around, all holding herbs or other medicine in their hands. Jaehyun assumed that they were healers.

Slowly, Yuta led him to a table in the back of the room, helping him sit in the chair next to it. Jaehyun stayed silent as the other rummaged around for something.

Once he found what he was looking for, he knelt in front of Jaehyun and looked up expectantly. “You’re going to have to take off your pants.”

The blunt words made Jaehyun’s face heat up immediately. Ducking his head so that the other wouldn’t see his blush, he began to undo his belt. Carefully, he moved his trousers down his legs, wincing as they brushed over the wound.

Luckily, the shirt Yuta had given him that morning was long, hanging down to almost his knees. With careful hands, Yuta moved the shirt away from Jaehyun’s wound.

“It’s not deep at all,” Jaehyun looked down at his thigh at Yuta’s words. “It was a warning hit.”

After a moment of simply staring at the blood that stained Jaehyun’s skin, Yuta took out a towel and wet it in a bucket of water nearby. 

“It was stupid to encourage him.” Yuta’s voice was low as he carefully cleaned the cut.

Jaehyun hissed at the feeling of cold water, before relaxing. Already, the stinging had vanished, as if his pain had been relieved once the water touched his skin.

Yuta discarded the towel and picked up a bandage. As soon as he finished wrapping Jaehyun’s thigh, he stood up, brushing the dirt from his blouse.

“Thank you,” Jaehyun whispered, his blush still present as he sat in only his shirt. 

Yuta’s expression softened. “Of course,” He furrowed his eyebrows again. “I didn’t know Doyoung would do something like that.”

Jaehyun scowled. “He doesn’t like me.”

Doyoung’s distrustful eyes flashed in his mind, and he found himself clenching his fist. He couldn’t believe he had let the other win. 

Yuta softly tapped his knee with his gloved hand. “Does it hurt?”

Jaehyun grinned, shifting closer. “A little.” He sent the other a small pout. “Kiss it better, darling?”

Yuta’s nose wrinkled and he shoved him back softly. “Gross.”

Still, Jaehyun relished in the small blush on the other’s face.

 

Silence filled the room for a moment longer before Yuta sighed. “We leave for the village in two days. The wound isn’t bad, but it was stupid of you to go against Doyoung so soon before you leave.”

“I didn’t know he was going to stab me.” 

Yuta frowned. “I’ll talk to him about it.”

The thought of Yuta approaching Doyoung for him made Jaehyun scrunch his nose. He could already hear the other taunting him for it. 

“No,” He shook his head. “I’m a big boy, I can handle it.”

At his words, Yuta let out a small laugh. His hand still rested on Jaehyun’s knee, and he gave it a light squeeze. 

“Alright, fine.” He reached forward and brushed the hair away from Jaehyun’s face before sighing and standing up. “We better get you back to Johnny. I have a meeting to go to.”

“A meeting?”

Yuta gave him a secretive look. “Leader privileges.” He said happily, wiggling his eyebrows.

He went very still for a moment, his eyes uncertain, before leaning forward to press his lips to Jaehyun’s. The action was quick, and as soon as Jaehyun had registered the kiss, Yuta had already pulled back slightly with a stern look on his face.

“Call me darling again, and I’m gonna be the one to stab you next.” He whispered, his lips brushing Jaehyun’s with each word he spoke, before pulling back completely and walking toward the door.

Jaehyun sat still for a moment, eyes wide in surprise, before laughing loudly and standing up.

“Hurry up.” Yuta called over his shoulder, his eyes twinkling in amusement despite the slight blush on his face.

Happiness bloomed in Jaehyun’s chest as he followed Yuta out of the room, a permanent smile etched onto his face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> rip ao3 went down earlier or this would've been posted a few hours before this.  
> anyways i hope you all enjoy! thank you all for the wonderful comments you leave me, it makes me so happy:)

**Author's Note:**

> [CC](https://curiouscat.me/markscurls)  
> [My Twitter](https://twitter.com/markscurls)  
>   
> here's the [map](https://twitter.com/markscurls/status/1116394489222979586) of kyanos!  
> The map will be updated everytime a new location/place is introduced in the fic.


End file.
